Chapter 2: Plus Que Ma Propre Vie
Bella saw what Aro intended to do long before he gave the first command. She cursed herself for being so foolish. She should have never assumed the Volturi would let them walk away freely, whether they proved Renesmee was not an immortal child or not. She turned to Jacob, already in his werewolf form and with her precious child on his back.
"Take care of my daughter."
Jacob barked once in affirmation before turning tail and fleeing across the snow. Fighting back tears, Bella charged into the fight. As she bit and clawed at the Volturi, she heard Aro call above the din:
"Jane! The child and her protector fled that way! Don't come back till they're dead!"
"NO!" Bella screamed, but Jane was already racing away in a blur.
Jacob pounded through the snow, Renesmee bouncing along on his fur. He was already winded, but willed his body to move faster. I'm getting too old for this, the werewolf admitted to himself. But Renesmee has to be safe.
"Jake! Look out!" his imprintee suddenly screamed. Jacob glanced back. Jane was hot on their tail. Great. He growled and sprinted faster, but Jane was gaining. Just as she was almost on top of them….
WHAM! A tannish-brown blur collided with the blonde vampire. It was Seth!
Carlisle sent me as back up. I will follow. Keep going and get her out of here!, Jacob heard his pack mate speak in his mind. Jacob turned tail and charged up the last hill, ignoring Seth's growls and Jane's screams. There! He could see Bella's car by the side of the road; keys were already in the ignition for a quick getaway.
Sliding to a stop, he phased back and threw on clothes that had been stored in Renesmee's pack helter-skelter.
"Get in!" he ordered her, as he ran around and leapt into the driver's seat. Just as he was about to start the engine, the passenger door opened and Seth leapt in.
"Change of plans. I'm coming with you as a guard. Jane's wounded but mad. Go!"
Jacob gunned the engine and the car took off down the mountainside.
"Is she following?" Jacob asked. Seth looked through the rearview.
"Yup. And she's pissed."
Jacob cursed and pressed on the accelerator. As he focused on the road, he gave orders to his companions.
"Renesmee, sweetie, remember the tornado drill stance Benjamin taught you? I need you to crouch low in your seat just like that and don't move until I say so. Seth, there's a Magnum in the glove box; Bells let me store it. Jane gets too close for comfort… well…."
Seth stared. "You want me to shoot at her?!"
"You got a better idea? Do it! It's already loaded." Jacob snapped.
Seth reluctantly retrieved the gun and rolled down his car window. Jacob watched through the overhead. "Wait till she's in range…."
Jane leapt for the car and grabbed onto the back bumper. Seth fired and got a hit. Jane yelped and let go, though a loud crunch went with her that made Jacob erratically swerve. She had taken the back bumper with her.
"So that's how you want to play it, huh?" Jacob growled. "All right. Let's see if you fuckers can do a hundo!" He gunned it to over 100 MPH and soon left Jane far behind.
Seth leaned back in his seat and let out a long breath, before tossing the pistol back into the glove box. "Where to now?"
"The airport. Only I know where we're going." Then Jacob paused. "Wait. We have to buy you a ticket!"
"It's OK, Jake, we have enough cash for him!" Renesmee piped up from the backseat. Seth stared at the JanSport backpack Renesmee clutched.
"How much did your mama put in there, kid?"
"Enough to keep us going for a long, long time," Jacob answered somewhat darkly.