Thank you to StarReader and Totteacher for your excellent suggestions and wonderful encouragement to keep going. These characters are not mine but belong to S. Meyer.

Chapter 13 – A Time to Fight

Carlisle POV

I looked up at the giant wolf, smiling his wolfish grin at me. My children were here. If Jacob was here, then the rest were not far behind. I was pleased and proud to be a part of this entity called a family. Now we can truly get this mess sorted out. Jacob phased and dressed quickly so we could talk.

"Thank you son. That would have taken me a long time but I would have gotten out eventually. Is everyone okay?" I asked as I left the cavern that had been my tomb. "We need to find Esme and one of the coven members named Victor, he has possibly taken her somewhere against her will."

"Sure, sure, Doc, we kinda figured something was up with this little trip of yours. Right now I agree, our first order of business is to find Mrs. C," Jacob explained to me.

"My sentiments exactly Jacob; Do you have any ideas as to where he is keeping her?" I asked him.

"Perhaps I can help you with that," suggested Percy as we turned a corner and ran into him standing there. I made no effort to hide my growl and went to my attack stance immediately.

"Easy there Doc. This one has been helping us so far," Jacob corrected my interpretation of Percy being there.

"I see you have your arm repaired," I seethed at him unapologetically.

"How did you know…? Never mind," Jacob interceded. "Percy here has realized the error of his ways and has come over from the dark side to coin a phrase. He thinks he may have an idea of where to look for Victor and Esme."

"Jacob, you will understand if I do not want this man at my back. Right now I have a problem trusting a man who tried to kill me and take my wife for his friend's pleasure. So help me if he has harmed her, no amount of regret you offer will be enough for me to let you live," I warned Percy as he flinched with fear at my threat.

"Victor has set up a little hideout here in this cavern. He has not shown it to me but I got an idea of the general area he is in. He can hole up in here for months, years if he chooses. It has accesses to whatever he needs and the dire wolf properties make him almost undetectable to anyone tracking him. There are a constant supply of animals living within and near these caves to keep him and whoever is with him fed for quite a long time," Percy continued to explain.

"Grrrrrrrr!" I seethed.

"Whoa Doc, Calm down!" Jacob soothed me. "We will find her. Percy, I suggest you head back and let everyone know we found Dr. Cullen. Just point us in the area we need to be heading and go," Jacob barked at Percy as he saw me getting ready to attack our new, supposed ally.

Percy told us the directions he had seen Victor coming from on more than one occasion and headed off to return to the mansion. We started toward a section of the caverns that did not look well traveled. After a while Jacob phased into his wolf form again. He sniffed the air and started heading further back into the caves.

I saw evidence of wolf skeletons, skulls and bone shards all along this area. There were even a few stalactites hanging from the ceiling of the cavern that seemed to also be infused with the dire wolf DNA deposits making impenetrable dripstones. Jacob's large frame brushed against one and it was loosened.

He swiped it with his paw and it fell to the floor of the cave. It did not break apart and I retrieved it in case I had a need for a blunt weapon that would serve against a vampire. I had no idea what to expect from Victor, but I knew what I felt I was about to do. I was glad my children were not here to see what I planned. I definitely had plans.

Esme POV

SLAP!!!!

"Have you completely lost your mind?" I seethed at Victor as he rubbed his astonished face. "Even if I thought my husband were truly dead I would not be doing this with you!"

"And why not!" he barked back at me. "Your options are minimal right now. There is no one else but us at this moment. Why not consider your options?"

"You must be crazy, Victor," I sneered at him unbelievably. "Even if this was an option, there is such a thing as propriety. Have you ever heard of a decent mourning period?" I glared at him scathingly, knowing that there would never be a period of time that I did not mourn for Carlisle if he were truly gone. "And I still don't believe that my husband is dead, not because you say so. That notwithstanding, there is no way you can think that I want to start another relationship after Carlisle." I let a moan of pain escape my lips. "I just want to go home to my children and decide what we must do next. You won't help me but I know my children can."

"They are not your children, woman!" Victor retorted angrily. "They are your coven. They can survive without you and Carlisle!"

"Whether we can survive without each other or not, we choose to remain together as a family, Victor. A term you obviously have a great deal of difficulty understanding," I admonished him again. "Whatever little scheme you have planned for me will not work. My family won't stand for it." I turned my back to him having no intention of acknowledging him in any further conversation. He became livid with me.

Victor POV

How dare this little wench turn her back on me! She will learn her place eventually but until then, I will need to play my hand in a way that makes her think she is at an advantage. She needed to feel somewhat in control and to feel as if there was something to look forward to. I saw no need to tell her of her children's defeat as yet. I would save that trump card for later. But still she needed to understand that she was at my mercy at this moment.

"Three weeks! That's all it will take to get you to come around to my perspective. That's all it will take to weaken your resolve. When your thirst hits, so then will your resolve loosen. With that thirst comes your uncontrolled lust and then you will be mine, whether you want to or not. You will not be able to control yourself. I will have you then and once I do, you will never leave me," I swore to her.

She appeared horrified at my statement and yet she made no attempt to fight. I wondered what Cullen or someone in her past had done to make her already so docile. Then I saw an air of resolve strengthen her before she spoke. This woman would make an excellent companion once I have her properly trained.

"You are truly a monster to even consider such a thing. What kind of animal did you come from? Surely you were not human before you were turned," she threw in my face letting all her anger out toward me.

I smiled at her anger. "Perhaps I can arrange a feeding for you before that occurs," I hedged leading her on in her hopes. "I can set it up so you can quench that thirst easily." I turned my back so she would not see my smile as I played my trump card. "I know how overpowering falling into the thirst can be. So I am willing to arrange it so that a group of human teenagers can become lost in these caves for your feeding pleasure."

Her gasp spoke volumes. This was obviously something she would not like to happen. I had her then. She dropped to her knees on the floor of the cavern.

"What do you really want from me?" she wailed piteously. "What have we ever done to you to deserve this type of treatment?"

"It's not what you have done, my dear. You are simply the one I have chosen to stand at my side as my mate." I assured her. "However, I am willing to allow you some requests. Is there any specifics you would like me to arrange for you, my sweet?" I asked her throwing on the charm.

"What do you mean?" She asked hesitantly.

"I am asking you if there is anything I can do for you to make you happy?" I answered her simply.

"Would a phone be a reasonable request?" she inquired hesitantly.

"It can be arranged for a price," I told her smiling.

"What price Victor?" she asked. "What do you want from me?"

"It's simple, a kiss. I want a real kiss that is given willingly from you to me as sort of a pre thank you present. You know, a way to show your gratitude," I explained.

"You would make me do that just to get in touch with my children?" she whined as I shook my head in contradiction.

"No Esme, I will not make you do anything. You do not have to at all. It is simply the only thing that will convince me to bring a phone here to you," I concluded with logic to her.

"Monsters and Demons, you are the reasons that they use those terms for us," she said with all the venom she could muster in her voice.

"Are you going to insult me or kiss me?" I asked challenging her finally.

Her head hung and her body shook in defeat as she timidly stepped toward me unsure of how to go about this. I opened my arms encouragingly to welcome her. She flinched and placed both her hands on each side of my face. I met her halfway.

"Make it real," I warned, "or else you will not get what you desire,"

Then she kissed me. My body reacted to her immediately. My desire escalated to the roof. As her lips parted my tongue invaded her mouth. She whimpered and I knew her desire was building the same as mine was. I grabbed her by the back of her head and neck and kissed her with all the passion I possessed.

She started to squirm as she realized my excitement was building. I moved my hand down to her waist and pulled her flush with my body. She arched her body back and lifted he knee up swiftly and directly into my groin. As I howled out in pain, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

I grabbed her by that hand and slapped her full in the face. Then I pressed her up against the wall and held hers there with my body. She could not kick in this position and I locked my lips against her again. She screamed into my mouth and I reached up to cover her mouth when I was done. I reached for her shirt buttons and she began pleading for me to stop. Her pleas angered me so I ripped her shirt right down the front exposing her lacy white bra and the smooth skin underneath.

"Please not here on this wall," she begged. "The bed, take me to your bed over there."

I grabbed her by both arms and headed toward the bed. "Let's just get this over with why don't we. Then you can call your old coven and say your goodbyes and wish them well."

With that I threw her on the bed. She kept rolling and escaped to the other side. The little wench was playing with me. I grabbed for her but she avoided my hand and flew out into the outer cavern. This would be an interesting chase. I will have her and I will have her now.

"Carlisle where are you?" she screamed as she ran from me. I laughed at her hysteria. What did she think he would magically appear? "Carlisle!" she screamed again.

Then we both heard it. A loud barking growl that sent chills through my spine. Esme turned a corner and I heard her gasp again. What the hell had she run into? I sped around the corner and was dumbfounded.

"Shhh. I got you baby. I am right here," Carlisle soothed her as he held her to him.

Alright it is getting near the end now if you haven't reviewed yet, please do so now. Let me know how much you like the storyline. Reviews make me so happy.