I cursed the fact that it wasn't raining. Drops of water were excellent for helping me 'see' my surroundings, the light patter of them helping me determine size and shape, and more importantly depth and distance. There wasn't even a decent breeze to rustle things. Ah well, I would make do with what I had. I paced off, at vampire speed, about twenty square feet of forest, familiarizing myself with everything within that could be an obstacle or a weapon if this turned into a fight. Then I stood motionless in the center and listened.
It was hard to sort out voices within the fairgrounds. There were far too many people. It was easier to focus on the vampires running towards me. I could hear the crunch of debris under their feet as they sped over the forest floor. I could even hear them grumbling.
"I don't know why we can't have as many as we want. Why do we have to be so careful?" It was a whine, low and frustrated, but deep. A male.
"We don't want to draw attention to ourselves, Mark. It's not time yet. Another few weeks and we can do whatever we want. For now, just one." Another deep voice, this one calmer. I listened closely as they approached and sighed when I heard the third set of footsteps. A bit lighter than the others I thought.
"One to share. Stupid rules." I heard the quiet, petulant voice. Softer, but the whining quality was there as well. A female.
Then the almost non-existent breeze shifted. I could tell when they finally sensed me ahead of them because the calm one growled and they stopped.
"Is it one of us?" I heard the female hiss softly.
"No, it's one of them. I smelled it before, in the house she sent me to. We're aren't supposed to interact with them, but I want to see one of these weird animal blood lovers." The calmer one said in an equally soft hiss, but I heard curiosity in his tone. Normal vampire hearing wouldn't have picked up the sounds. Lucky me, I thought as my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out.
"I can see them approach you. You'll have two minutes with them before you disappear. I'm assuming Adam comes to help you," Alice's voice was worried and a bit frustrated.
"Do you see them attacking?" I asked in a quiet tone.
"Not immediately, but it's a possibility. Polite conversation seems the best avenue until you ask them not to prey on the humans. Then it gets snarled. Please, please be careful, Leia," she begged.
"I'm not looking to provoke them, Alice, I swear. I'm just hoping to distract them until Jasper and Emmett get here," I said gently.
"Jazz and Em left the car. They'll be there in about eight minutes, I think, running. They'd be there sooner, but they have to be careful in the city," Alice said softly and then gave me as much physical detail about the vampires as she could, told me how they would approach and where they would stop. I thanked her and then hung up. They were almost to me.
"Well, hello there little one." The calm one's voice conveyed surprise when he stopped ten feet in front of me. I knew from Alice's description that the other two vampires were flanking him, standing to either side and little behind him.
"Hi," I said brightly, aiming a smile in the general direction of his voice. I didn't say anything else just yet, wanting to allow them to steer the conversation in hopes it would keep things civil longer. Because sooner or later, I knew things were going to get 'snarled' as Alice put it.
"She's smells awful," the female hissed.
"Maybe it's the animal blood." The calm one suggested before shifting closer to me. I held my ground as he came closer. The other two stayed put but they were vocal in their protests.
"Riley, leave it. I'm hungry," the other male, Mark, said.
"If you get that smell on you, she'll know you broke the rules." It was the female this time. Riley paused. I strained to hear what was going on behind me, in the fairgrounds. I thought I heard Adam's voice twice, but the loud noises of the rides and music quickly drowned it out. I truly hoped Alice wasn't kidding about Adam and/or Jacob showing up. The vampires seemed in an awful hurry to get to a food source and I was determined to thwart their dinner plans. Not to mention getting some information out of them would be nice.
"She? I'm assuming you mean Victoria," I said conversationally. "How is the psychotic bitch, anyway?"
"Watch your mouth, little bug, or I'll squash you." Oh, the calm one wasn't so calm anymore. Note to self: Riley has a thing for Victoria. He took another two steps forward I had to struggle not to back up. If I had a working heart, it would be fluttering nervously. I couldn't let him know I was intimidated, so I smirked a little and shrugged.
"Sorry, but she's set on killing my brother and my best friend. My opinion is justified," I said quietly. I heard the three vampires growl and then I heard Adam's sweet voice chanting behind me.
"I'm coming, don't do anything stupid. I'm coming, don't do anything stupid, please." I smiled. He would be here in about thirty seconds as the speed he was running.
"What are you smiling at? She'll be ecstatic when I rip you apart and bring your head to her on a platter. She can send it to your precious coven in a box. How's that for psychotic?" Riley said smugly, shifting forward once more. I snorted softly and sprang to the left, effectively side stepping the larger vampire. I felt the stirring as the other two vampires came at me as well. I leapt over them, landing in a crouch on the outside edge of my memorized space. So much for polite conversation and distracting them until Jazz and Emmett got here.
"What is that smell?" the female snarled. All three newborns froze as Adam came close enough for them to scent. I chuckled softly.
"That would be my mate." As if on cue, Adam burst onto the scene. He had phased the minute he'd cleared the treeline. Through his eyes, I got my first look at the trio of vampires, who were currently staring at him in shock. It wasn't every day you saw a horse sized white wolf. Adam snarled and darted to my side. I curled my hand into the fur at his neck.
"You're mate is a dog? I suppose it runs in the coven, what with two of you falling in love with your food," the tall, painfully thin female vampire snorted. I hissed at her and Adam growled deep is his chest, poised to attack the vampires at any sign of aggression from them. Riley was studying us, his hands held out as if to keep the other two from attacking. The one named Mark was snarling, venom actually dripping from his lips.
"I thought she was exaggerating the size of the wolves," Riley said, almost to himself. There was a calculating look in his eyes. After a split second, in which I knew he had plenty of time to formulate all sorts of complex plans, he dropped his hands and stepped behind his two cronies. He smiled wickedly.
"Mark, Amanda, take them down. Shouldn't be too hard. One blind vampire and an overgrown dog." Ah, so he knew enough about my family to know that I was the blind one. But I doubted he knew anything at all about what I was capable of, especially with Adam by my side.
"Newborns are stronger than regular vampires, Adam. Please be careful." It was all the warning I could give him right now. I suddenly wished I'd given in to Emmett's request to wrestle with Adam. At least Adam would be better prepared for this fight. I felt a shiver of fear as the newborns launched themselves at us, but Adam and I instinctively danced apart. Instead of doing the smart thing and splitting up to take us one on one, they both went straight for Adam. He focused on the larger of the two, easily dodging his headlong rush. I heard him yelp once as the female caught his shoulder with her teeth. I immediately leapt on her back, diverting her attention. As we fought, I sensed the arrival of Jacob and another wolf, one whose scent I wasn't familiar with.
After a moment of hesitation, Jacob leapt across the space after Riley. The vampire immediately took off, running back into the forest. The other wolf darted after him, but almost immediately backtracked and came back to help Adam. The painful screech, and screams, of a vampire losing one limb or another filled the air. Now that Adam had help, I was able to concentrate on my opponent rather than worry that Adam might be further injured.
Amanda was a sloppy fighter. She had managed to get me around the waist once, but I'd bitten her and she had let me go. Then she had attempted to run after Riley, so I tackled her. After a brief struggle, I managed take her head from her shoulders just as Adam did the same to Mark. It would have been a moment of triumph...if she hadn't gotten both hands wrapped around my right arm and in a final desperate act to save herself, pulled with all her newborn strength.
The horrible screech of rending vampire flesh, my pained scream and Adam's howl were simultaneous. It was always such a shock to feel pain when almost nothing in the world could harm my kind. Since I was fairly certain neither Mark nor Amanda were capable of doing anymore damage, I let myself give in to the pain. I didn't register much in the next few moments beyond the removal of Amanda's body from under mine and the sounds of both newborns being torn into what I was sure to be hundreds of little pieces.
"Leia, baby? What do I do?" Adam had changed back and he gently turned me over and pulled me close, cradling me in his arms. He sounded calm, but I could feel how his arms trembled as he held me. I sighed softly.
"Wait for Jazz. He'll help me fix it," I said softly, forcing myself to focus on my surroundings again. Jacob was back, helping another Quileute gather vampire bits into a large pile. "Just make sure Jake doesn't decide to add my arm to the bonfire before my brother's get here. I'd really like it back."
"Can you really...reattach it? I mean, I thought that was just part of the legend," the younger Quileute asked, causing Adam to look at what I assumed was his newest packmate. Adam didn't talk about the pack much, beyond the ones I knew had phased. But he had told me recently that they were up to fourteen now. This one didn't look much older than fourteen or fifteen human years old, despite the growth spurt he'd no doubt undergone in the past few weeks. He sounded eager for my answer and I noticed Jake's eye roll at his enthusiasm. I wrapped my hand around the back of Adam's neck and struggled to sit up in his lap. He shifted me so I was resting against his chest and I felt him place something heavy across my legs. He didn't look down at it but I felt it twitch against my thigh. I put my left hand over it.
"Um...in theory, yes, I think," I said, not able to hide the quiver of fear in my voice. My father and Jasper had both advised me that it was possible, but none of my family had ever needed a body part reattached before. It sounded so macabre and the fact that I was sitting here with my own arm in my lap made me want to throw up. Too bad vampires can't get nauseous. I was glad when Adam decided to distract me.
"Um, Leia, this is Seth Clearwater. Seth, this is Leia Cullen, my..." he trailed off, as if unsure what to call me. Finally he just shrugged and used the term I'd used to describe him earlier. "...my mate."
I warmed at his use of the term and leaned my head back against his shoulder and kissed the underside of his jaw. He hugged me closer and I smiled.
"Well met, Seth. I'm sorry it wasn't under better circumstances, but..." I waved my good hand around the clearing. I heard, then, the sounds of more vampire feet approaching. I knew my brother's gaits well. They were running at top speed.
"Um...my brother's will be here in a few second. Please don't attack them," I said quietly in warning. I heard Jacob sigh and Adam glanced at him.
"What happened to the other vampire, Jake? You lose him?" Adam asked seriously. Jacob grimaced.
"Unfortunately. He was pretty fast and he took to the water. I lost his trail, so I doubled back to help." They were arguing over whether or not burning the vampire bits would attract the attention of the authorities when my brother's arrived.
"It's a little too close to civilization for comfort, but there isn't much of a breeze tonight. The smoke and smell shouldn't carry into the fairgrounds," Jasper said as he came out of the trees a few seconds before Emmett. Adam tensed under me, Jacob snarled and Seth phased. Lucky for Seth my brothers were more concerned with my health than the wolves. They knelt on either side of Adam and growled low.
"What the hell happened?" Emmett demanded as Jasper gently took my arm out of my lap. As Jacob coaxed Seth back into human form, I told everyone what had happened before Adam arrived. Then I let Adam describe the fight while Jasper held my arm back in place. I would have helped him explain, but Jazz leaned down a couple of times to lick the edges of the wound. I could literally feel the venom working to heal the severed muscle, nerve, ligament and tendon. It wasn't a pleasant experience so I clenched my teeth and tried to listen to Adam's story. It helped that Adam was stroking my other arm soothingly through the entire process.
"I'm sorry, Lei, the venom makes it heal faster. You'll have a scar, though," Jasper said too quietly for the others to hear. I managed a smile for him, sending as much gratitude as I could. I was relieved that neither of my brother's was blaming the wolves for my injury.
"Damn, sounds like I missed all the fun." Emmett's comment caused Seth to laugh and Jacob snorted softly. Adam shook his head and rolled his eyes. Adam's tale reminded me that he'd been injured.
"How's your shoulder?" I asked him quietly. He shrugged.
"Hurts. I think the venom is keeping it from healing as fast as it normally would. And I kinda feel all achy and nauseous." I clutched at him with my good arm, panicked.
"Adam, our venom is poisonous to you. What if..." I trailed off when he put his fingers over my mouth.
"I don't think I'm going to die from one little bite. We wouldn't be effective as vampire hunters if we couldn't survive that," he said wryly. I relaxed a little but I was still worried.
"I just wish you could let Carlisle look you over. I doubt Sam would agree to that, though," I said in a sour tone and then hissed when a tendon popped back into place. Adam held me a little closer and shook his head.
"You're probably right. I think this little fight will light a fire under the tribal council though. It's obvious Victoria is making newborns and if you're right about her motives, there's only one reason for that," Adam said grimly. Jasper sighed.
"She's building an army with the intent of destroying our family."
"Well, this is two less to worry about," Jacob said with a growl as he set the pile of vampire bits on fire. Emmett squeezed my arm before he got up and went to help with the bonfire. Adam buried his face in my hair and sighed. I curled my fingers into the silky hair at the base of his neck and gave Jasper a sad smile.
"Well, we knew it was a major possibility. At least now Edward can overreact properly," I said. Jasper grimaced.
"And he has every right to. I might just follow his lead this time. This is serious. Not only are we in danger from Victoria and her army, we run the chance of the Volturi taking a personal interest in her handiwork. We don't need them deciding to make a visit to Washington this soon," Jasper said solemnly. I cringed against Adam at the thought. The Volturi would no doubt decide to check in on Bella while they were here. Finding her still human might cause some serious repercussions.
"Who are the Volturi?" Seth asked curiously. Jasper gave them a short history of the Volturi and explained their position as unofficial vampire royalty and law enforcement. Adam touched my face when Jasper finished his tale.
"You visited them in Italy, didn't you? They are part of what happened there?" I nodded jerkily.
"Visited implies we were there of our own free will," I said with a sneer. I didn't want to continue this conversation now so I was glad to be given a means of distraction.
"Sarah is calling for you, Jacob," I said softly, hearing Sarah's panicked voice on the edge of the wood. Jacob's head came up and he glanced quickly at Emmett. My brother grunted.
"This isn't my first vamp roast. Go," he said gruffly, completely understanding Jacob's need to reassure his mate. Jacob darted off to soothe his wife, leaving Seth with Emmett. I was vaguely aware of the two of them discussing our last 'vamp roast', namely James in Phoenix. I wasn't really paying attention to them, not until Adam's arms tightened around me and he growled softly in my ear.
"You told me that he nearly killed Bella, but you failed to mention your role in the matter. Why do you insist on putting yourself on the front lines in every dangerous situation?" Adam said darkly. I sighed.
"It was just that once, Adam. I couldn't let Bella face that monster alone. Not that was any help at all," I said sourly, my mind recalling that day in perfect clarity. I didn't need to sleep to have nightmares.
"Just that once?" Emmett said with a snort. "I know you didn't forget Italy, baby sister, despite the state you came home in."
If I'd been human, all the blood would have drained from my face. I would have hissed at Emmett to shut up if not for the fear and shame that fought to overwhelm me as my nightmares shifted from Phoenix to Italy. Jasper stroked my arm gently, sending me waves of calm as he told Emmett to shut up in short, quick vampire pitched hisses. Emmett had the courtesy to look sheepish.
"What state did you come home in, Leia?" Adam had, of course, sensed my distress and his arms pulled tighter still around my cool, granite body. His voice was laced with dread. I knew he hated that I wouldn't tell him exactly what had happened in Italy. I just couldn't bear to lose him because I had been forced to kill innocent human beings. Because no matter how justified my actions, no matter how much Adam loved me, the pack would use it as an excuse to keep us apart. But perhaps I could give him part of the story.
"Not now, not here, Adam. But soon…I'll tell you what I can about Italy."
Adam sighed in frustration, but I felt him nod.
"Soon, Leia. I'll hold you to that."
Chapter End Notes:
So, a little action for you. Not the main event, but a teaser. Maybe by the big fight Adam and Leia will be better prepared to fight together. As for the reattachment of vampire limbs, I researched on the Lexicon and couldn't find anything specific to the process, so I just expanded on what we do know from the books. :)