Adam's POV

"No. Bella Swan has brought this upon herself by allying herself with vampires. Let them guard her. We have too few to protect our own if there are unknown vampires in the area. Not to mention we have other problems to deal with," Sam said, his countenance solemn. I would have growled, but that would only make him angrier. Instead I crossed my arms over my chest.

"At least let me go to the house and sniff out this new scent for the rest of the pack. I can work out a schedule with the Cullen's to run patrol on my own time. Bella is my friend and Charlie is practically a member of this tribe. I won't leave the Swan's without protection. The rest of the pack can handle Leah. She's as ready to rip my throat out as Paul, anyway."

"She's has more reason to hate the Cullen's than anyone." Sam's voice was low and angry. Leah Clearwater's first phase had been a shock to all of us. The old stories had never mentioned a female werewolf and so it was assumed that it wasn't possible. Now we were all scrambling to adjust to a female mind in the pack. And not just any female, but one who's heart had been broken by our pack leader. At least as a part of the pack she was beginning to understand that Sam hadn't abandoned her maliciously. But she also understood that the vampires' presence in Forks was the reason behind every bad thing that had happened in her life over the last year.

Leah had yet to regain enough control of her anger to phase back to human form. It had been three days and I had been on 'Leah Duty' for twelve hours a day, keeping her from hurting herself or anyone else. It had been easy, since I'd spent most of the time keeping her from attacking me. It had also distracted me from Leia's absence, though I still felt like a piece of me was missing.

"Leah hates everyone and everything right now, Sam. The Cullen's are just the easiest target for her anger, and in turn me for having the audacity to be bonded to one of them. Do us both a favor. Let me keep watch over the Swan's for a while," I asked. Sam's expression didn't change and I was certain he was about to tell me no. I continued my argument, letting some of the desperation I was feeling leak into my voice. "Sam, it's been four days since I've seen her. I know you hate the Cullens but she's my imprint. I need to see her tonight or I swear I'm gonna join Leah's campaign to make everyone in the pack's life a living hell."

"Go. Report back in the morning." I saw just a glimmer of understanding in Sam's eyes now. He knew exactly how strong the need to be with Leia was because he had the same need to be near Emily. I had to swallow down the resentment that burned inside my chest whenever I considered the fact that he could hold Emily every night and not worry about the pack hating him for it. I made myself thank him before I turned on my heel and ran for the trees.

I circled the house and came at it from the back, not knowing if Charlie was home. As I got closer, I caught the scent of vampire, both familiar and alien. There was a subtle difference in the smell each vampire gave off, subtle enough that some of the pack had a hard time differentiating between them. Maybe I had a more sensitive nose or maybe I just cared enough to try, but it was easy for me to separate the strange vampire's smell from the more familiar scents of Leia's family.

I paused at the edge of the woods, listening and sniffing the air. I could hear, faintly, the sound of the TV. Then I heard Bella ask Charlie if he wanted another beer. What I smelled, however, was heaven. Leia's scent was strong, not just a trail. She was here. I turned my attention to the roof, her favorite perch when she wasn't inside, and I saw her outline. I phased back into human form.

"Leia," I said her name softly, knowing she would hear.

"Come up to Bella's room," she answered back and I saw her swing off the eaves and in through Bella's open window. I climbed the tree outside Bella's window and slid easily into the room.

"Adam." Leia's voice was a satisfied sigh as she raised her cool, hard arms to me like a child begging to be picked up. I obliged happily, lifting her off the floor and holding her against me. I buried my face in her soft brown hair, the curls tickling my nose as I inhaled deeply.

"God, how I've missed you," I said quietly. Leia's arms tightened ever so slightly around my shoulders and my heart nearly stopped when I felt her smooth, cold lips trail along my neck.

"I missed you too." Her earnest tone held a wistful note that I'd never heard before. As if she had truly missed me as much as I had missed her. I was torn between elation and despair. I longed for her to need me the way I needed her, but I didn't want her to feel the kind of pain I felt whenever she wasn't around.

"How was your weekend with Edward?" I asked, hoping to distract her from any unpleasant thoughts. I eased back towards the rocking chair and settled into it. She curled up in my lap like a cat and rested her head in the crook of my neck.

"It was wonderful. The park is beautiful and I found a bear. Emmett will be jealous when I tell him. And the lake...the lake is just magnificent and its so deep even Edward had trouble seeing in the depths. We talked some, played more. I haven't seen Edward so carefree in a long time. I hate that something had to ruin it," she said. She had been so excited at the beginning, but her last comment ended mournfully. So much for distracting her from unpleasant thoughts. Best to discuss this now, though. I pulled my face away from her hair and drew in a deep breath, cataloguing the strange vampire's scent.

"It's strongest here and in the bathroom. He took a pillow and some clothes," Leia told me, no doubt noticing my inhale. I had to resist the urge to growl.

"How did they get past Alice?" I asked incredulously. Leia sighed.

"Best we can tell, they had no intention of interacting with Bella. Alice's gift isn't infallible. You of all people should know that," Leia said softly, trailing her long, cool fingers over my shoulder and down my arm. I shivered at the feeling, not because of the chill but because it felt so exquisite. She paused, perhaps misinterpreting my body's reaction. I was quick to correct her.

"No, don't stop. It feels nice." She pressed a kiss against my collarbone and her fingers continued to skim lightly over my skin.

"It doesn't seem to bother you that I'm so warm," I commented as she snuggled deeper into my arms. She smiled against my chest.

"It feels very nice. I don't really get cold, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy the sensation of warmth. And the sound of your heart beat, it's like the most beautiful music." She put her ear to over my heart and became still. I only felt her swallow once, but it was enough to make me sigh.

"How can it be beautiful when it causes you pain?" I asked sadly. She reached up and wrapped her arms around my neck, bringing her face up level with my own. She very slowly brought her mouth forward until her lips were pressed gently against my cheek. They were smooth, gentle and actually warmed from being so close to my skin for the last few minutes.

"The burn in my throat is no more than a fleeting discomfort compared to the joy of being close to you, Adam. I love you." Leia's words slammed into my heart and made me cup her face in my hands. She had never said those words to me before and they filled me with wonder.

"Leia, you know I love you too," I breathed against her jaw. I felt her lips curl up into a smile and then she made my unspoken wish come true. She slid her smooth as glass lips across my skin and skimmed them over my own. It was like a whisper, the brush of butterfly wings. But it made my soul sing and I moved one hand to the back of her head. I didn't press her, but I wanted her to know that I wouldn't object more kissing.

"Adam." She breathed my name like a breathless prayer. Then she pressed her lips to mine again with more force. It was still a chaste kiss, but my heart beat faster and the desire to crush her against me was almost overwhelming. I heard her swallow again and I sighed as she pulled back. Her eyes were darker now, near black with both hunger and, I hoped, desire. But she was out of my lap in an instant, darting away from me to perch on the edge of Bella's bed.

"I'm sorry," I said softly. She groaned.

"Don't apologize to me for my nature, Adam. Just give me a moment," she said hoarsely. I nodded, relaxing as best I could. She wasn't in my arms, but I could see her. After not only hearing her say she loved me but sharing our very first real kiss, I could be content with watching her.

"Thank you," I said gently. She tilted her head in my direction, curious.

"For what?"

"For loving me. For kissing me. For just being you," I said happily. Leia managed a smile, despite her current discomfort.

"I can only take credit for being me. The rest is all your fault." I chuckled softly and would have commented, but I heard Bella's feet on the stairs. A moment later, she pushed into her room.

"Edward? Leia?" she asked quietly before shuffling towards her bed and flipping on the lamp. She smiled at Leia on the bed and then her smile widened when she saw me.

"Adam!" Her quiet squeal warned me before she launched herself at me for a hug. I worried that Charlie might hear her. Leia didn't seem worried, so I happily hugged my friend.

"Good to see you too, Bells. Missed you, squirt." I ruffled her hair a little and grinned. I worried a little about Edward's reaction if he knew Bella was sitting in my lap. I heard Leia start giggling from the bed and I looked up at her. She gestured towards the window and I smelled Edward right before he slipped through the window. The look on his face was hard, his lips pressed into a disapproving line. Bella then did something that surprised me. She wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me soundly on the cheek before turning back to Edward.

"Grow up, Edward. He's my friend and he's in love with Leia. Time to get used to having him around." I watched as Edward rolled his eyes. His expression softened a little as he caught my eye.

"I suppose you're right. It's just gonna be hard to get used to the smell..." he said. It took me a few seconds to realize he was teasing. I snorted softly.

"It's no walk in the park for me, either, cupcake," I said. Edward raised an eyebrow.

"Cupcake?" He sounded more incredulous than insulted. I shrugged.

"Yeah, like a cupcake, drenched in paint stripper."

"That's what my family smells like to you?" Leia asked curiously. I chuckled.

"It's sickeningly sweet and sharp. So, yeah. That's the nicest way I can think of to describe it." I grinned at Leia and then looked down at Bella. She patted my cheek and then scrambled from my lap to throw herself into Edward's arms. He caught her up and wrinkled his nose comically.

"I think you need a shower, my love. You smell like wet dog," he said. Bella slapped him playfully and wrapped her arms around him.

"Get used to it. Your sister is in love with him, so you need to desensitize. You managed it with me."

"There's no comparison, Bella. I like how you smell," Edward said with a cheeky smile. Bella laughed softly and lifted up on her tiptoes to shower his face with kisses. Then she pulled away, which made Edward's smile disappear. Bella reached up and patted his cheek.

"I'm going to get a shower so you three can talk shop. I want to know what you decide, but I don't have to be part of the pow wow." She looked back over at me and winked. Edward watched her as she gathered her shower things and left the room. The expression on his face left no doubt that he would miss her, even when she was in the next room. I sighed softly, looking over at Leia on the bed. She was tracing the lines of stitches in Bella's bedspread idly. I hoped I would have more time with her before I was forced to go back to the rez.

"Alright," Edward said. I glanced over at him again. There was a resigned look on his face. "Let's get the pow wow finished so Leia can drag you off into the woods to have her way with you."

"Edward!" Leia hissed softly. Edward just grinned unrepently and gave me a wink. I couldn't help but return his grin, realizing he was giving me unexpected free time with Leia. It was more than I could have asked for. Thank you.

Edward's grin slipped into a half grimace, but he nodded at me ever so slightly in acknowledgement.

"Just stick close enough to the house that you and Leia can get here fast if I need you."

Three weeks later

I hummed under my breath as I laced up my moccasins, working to keep my own music in my head instead of the thrumming beats of the competitor ahead of me. I didn't think I had much of a chance of placing in the adult division but I wanted to at least advance to the next round. It had been sunny until about an hour ago, so Leia couldn't be here today. Just the fact that she wanted to be here warmed my heart.

The last three weeks had been the closest thing to heaven I'd ever experienced. Leia and I spent nearly all our free time together. The pack had their hands full dealing with Leah, so Sam was content to assign me patrol of the forests around the Swan residence. There was enough pack drama without me around to aggravate Paul and Leah. I had learned to keep my thoughts fairly quiet when I was in wolf form, so they rarely even noticed that I was there unless I contributed to whatever conversation was being had.

All the time with Leia was helping her get 'desensitized' to my blood, too. Okay, maybe it's a little immature to celebrate the fact that we can make out like horny teenagers without her being overwhelmed with the need to bite me. But in all honesty, I am a horny teenager and Leia is, if you want to get technical, still a teenager as well. Thus ends the guilt trip.

"Our next competitor, former Regional Youth Fancy Dance Champion Adam Talldeer." I heard my name announced and I straightened, taking one last glance around the field. I don't know what made me do that, since I wasn't expecting her to be here, but my eyes zeroed in on the far side of the field. And there, beside my sister and Jacob, sat Leia Cullen. My heart leapt joyfully and I had to curb the urge to run to her. I had to dance now.

Leia's POV

"He's ecstatic, Lei, I promise." Sarah patted my hand. I borrowed a set of eyes nearer Adam and was relieved to see that he did, indeed, seem happy to see me here. I had told him that I wouldn't be able to come today due to the weather because I had wanted to surprise him. So Jasper and Emmett had dropped me off at the fairgrounds on their way into Seattle to hunt down the newborn that was reeking havoc on the city. The news reports of late were gruesome and we all agreed that the new vampire was completely out of control. That or there were more than one of them.

Jasper had mentioned the possibility of multiple newborns during our last family meeting. The thought that Victoria might be creating a newborn army in Seattle was horrifying. There was only one reason she would need an army - to start a war with my family. So we really needed to find out what the situation was so we could prepare for it.

"I'm glad I could come. He needs all the cheerleaders he can get," I said quietly. Sarah nodded solemnly, agreeing with me. Of the members of the pack, only Jacob and on very rare occasions Sam, gave Adam any respect. The others were either indifferent to their packmate or downright hostile. Adam didn't tell me much about his troubles with the pack, so I had to count on Sarah to keep me in the loop.

"Dad is here, along with a few of the tribe, but they are all down at the youth field," Sarah said quietly. I barely suppressed a hiss of displeasure. Of all the problems Adam had, having his father snub him was the worst. I knew it hurt him terribly.

"Actually, he's not," Jacob said softly. I borrowed Jacob's gaze and saw David Talldeer standing at the edge of the field. His expression was dark, but when his son stepped onto the field in his regalia, I witnessed a flash of pride. It was brief, but it had been there. Sarah gasped softly and hugged Jacob's arm to her.

"Oh, Jacob, maybe he's finally coming around," Sarah whispered. Jacob turned a sad smile on his wife and kissed her gently.

"Coming around or not, he's still proud of his son. No matter what happens." Jacob looked at me then and I switched to Sarah's view, glad to note that his sad smile stayed in place. It was much better than the snarls, frowns and hostile looks I had gotten from him in the not so distant past. Marriage obviously agreed with him. Bella had gushed about the beautiful ceremony and had been kind enough to take a gazillion pictures for me.

"I would not have wished this on him in a million years, Jacob. But it is and will always be. For both of us," I said softly. Jacob nodded, looking weary.

"I know." And for the first time since his change, Jacob Black reached out and touched me. His warm hand rested briefly on my knee before he removed it and turned to watch Adam dance. I didn't let myself dwell on what Jacob's friendly gesture could mean. Instead, I also watched Adam dance. It never failed to amaze me how beautiful he was in motion.

"So, how'd I do?" Adam asked, jogging over to us once his dance was done. He immediately reached for me and I stood, wrapping my arms around him. I rested my chin on his chest and looked up at him so he could gaze into my eyes. Despite the fact that I couldn't gaze back, he often told me how much he loved watching my eyes. He swore he could always gauge my moods by them. Hopefully he could see the pride and contentment I was feeling at the moment.

"You did wonderful, as always," I told him truthfully. He chuckled softly.

"Thank you, my love." Then he pulled out of my arms and Sarah helped him remove the more delicate pieces of his regalia. After that, he pulled me back into his arms before settling in the chair I had been sitting on. I curled up in his lap and listened to his heartbeat while we watched the rest of the competition. It was getting dark as the final dancer finished. It would be another half hour before the dancers advancing to the next round would be announced, so Adam and Jacob volunteered to go get food while Sarah and I walked towards the restrooms.

"Sarah." The quiet, deep voice stopped us a few steps from our destination. Sarah turned around to see her father there. His gaze flickered uneasily towards me and then back to his daughter.

"Dad. I'm glad you were able to see Adam dance," Sarah said softly, moving forward to give her father a hug. He blinked as if surprised and then relaxed into his daughter's arms for a moment. Then he pulled back, his eyes resting on me now.

"I take pride in the accomplishments of my son. He is a credit to his tribe." I had become unnaturally still, I knew, so I nodded my head in agreement and then shifted my weight from one foot to another. I suddenly understood Adam's nerves while meeting my parents. There was an overwhelming urge to gain David Talldeer's approval, despite my anger at him for treating his son so poorly.

"It is easy to be proud of Adam. He is a good man and a beautiful dancer," I said quietly, watching through Sarah's eyes as her father blinked as if stunned. Sarah sighed softly.

"And he has a beautiful, thoughtful girlfriend. Leia, this is our father, David Talldeer. Dad, this is Leia Cullen." Sarah introduced us, no doubt to force her father to acknowledge my presence beyond a measuring look. He stiffened, but he managed to nod his head.

"Miss Cullen," he spoke my name simply, with no underlying fear or disgust. I relaxed a little and opened my mouth to reply. I was forced to draw a breath of fresh air to speak and automatically the myriad of scents and tastes of the fair washed over my tongue and along my nasal passages. It was nearly overwhelming, but I managed to separate the smells into recognizable components. One in particular caused a spike of concern.

"Sarah, go find Jacob and Adam. Mr. Talldeer, if you would please go with your daughter."

"I'm sorry...what?" David Talldeer asked, his tone surprised and almost angry. Sarah must had seen something in my face that concerned her, because she shushed her father and rested her hand on my arm.

"What's wrong?"

"Remember that visitor Bella had a month ago? The one that borrowed her pretty red blouse?" I asked softly. I felt Sarah stiffen beside me.

"Here?" she asked shrilly, understanding immediately what I was talking about. I nodded.

"Close, to the west I think. Go get the boys and stay near the center of the fairgrounds."

"What is going on?" Sarah's father hissed at the two of us. Sarah shook her head at him and leaned up to whisper in his ear.

"There's an unfamiliar vampire near the fairgrounds. Come on." She grabbed his arm and tugged. He looked back at me incredulously.

"Why isn't she coming with us? Surely she's not going hunting for the thing on her own? She's blind, Sarah. She'll be killed." I didn't know whether to be touched by David Talldeer's concern or not. I decided not to worry about it as I hurried around the side of the restroom building and made my way slowly towards the wooded area that flanked the fairgrounds.

The scent of vampires, not single but plural, was stronger as I moved into the trees. I hadn't told Sarah that I'd smelled more than one because I didn't want to alarm her more than she already was. I also caught the scent of day old, dried blood. I grimaced and swallowed. Evidently the vampires I was tracking had taken at least one person from the fair in the last two days. I pulled out my phone and called Jasper.

"He's here and he has friends," I said when Jasper answered.

"He who?"

"Bella's secret admirer," I said softly. Jasper hissed softly.

"How many friends?"

"I don't know. Two, possibly three. They're using the fairgrounds to feed, I think."

"Don't you dare go tracking them, Leia. Emmett and I'll be there in twenty minutes, tops." I rolled my eyes.

"I won't have to, Jazz. They're headed straight for me. Don't worry, I have Jacob and Adam for backup," I said confidently, not telling him that I didn't know if they would come help me or stay to protect their families. Jazz growled.

"I don't trust those dogs farther than I can throw them, Leia."

"Well I do. Both of them. I promise not to get into a fight unless I have to, but I'm not letting them feed on an innocent human on my watch," I said firmly. Jazz sighed.

"Leia, you can't fight three newborns and win."

"We don't need to fight them. We just need to distract them until you get here. So get moving, brother mine."