Chapter 10- As I lay sleeping

I sat in the sand biting my lip watching Zach pace back and forth angrily. We were at my oasis, the sun was exactly in the same position as it always was when I met him here. The oranges, reds, and purples that came with the sun setting was always burning in the background. I was always wearing the same sundress, always barefoot, the same book at my feet. I could feel the sand between my toes and the breeze tickling my skin, and if it weren't for the fact that the scenery never change I would have thought I was awake and that this were real. In my dreams we always seemed to meet here, I wasn't sure if it was my subconscious at work or his.

I held the same twinge of annoyance I always did when I realized that once again I was brought here, my own personal annoyance with a hint of sorrow. The one place that use to be my escape, was very quickly becoming a prison, as if holding me hostage in my dreams. I watched my abductor pace back and forth, his steel grey eyes crazed.

"I don't like it when you're touched Reenie." He groaned still pacing.

I rolled my eyes at his pet name for me and through clenched teeth I sneered back, " I am his wife. They are my family. They love me. Of course they are going to touch me. Get over it."

He growled in frustration, but then sat down on the sand next to me, his voice returning to the sweet seduction that I heard more often than anger. "Reenie dear, I understand that, but you don't belong with them. You're mine. You need to be focusing on pulling yourself away not clinging to them."

My anger slightly faded, not completely, but more chagrin than animosity. "For the last time Zach, I'm not yours. I will never be yours, I have my life."

"You're not happy there." He shrugged as if my words were irrelevant. "I was there in this very desert with you. I could feel your disdain for the life you have. It practically called for me."

He reached out to stroke my face but I turned my head. "I'm more happy with my life than not."

"You don't mean that." He sighed stroking my cheek anyway, not bothered by the fact that I pulled away indicating that I didn't want to be touched. His fingers went down my neckline and tailed my shoulder and arm. The way his fingers tickled the back of my hand let me know what was coming before he attempted it. I pulled my hand away just before he tried to twine his fingers with mine. He froze momentarily but then let out a small chuckle. "Why do you resist me so?"

"Because I don't want you." I stated confidently. He laughed again, but this time it sounded more sensuous. "Believe me, I don't"

He took my face in his causing me to gaze in his eyes. My heart raced involuntarily, "You don't even believe that Reenie, why should I?"

"It's true." I stressed my voice no higher than a whisper.

Zach just chuckled to himself tracing my arms, his fingers leaving a warm tingle under my skin. He traced his fingers around the bite on the back of my shoulder and it became enflamed. It coursed heat through my veins, but this time it wasn't one of anger but desire. "You feel it too Reenie." He whispered in my ear, planting a kiss on the mark causing my breathing to hitch. I could hear the smile in his voice as he spoke, completely smug. " You can stop pretending whenever you like."

He released me and I could clear my head. I stalked over to a spot under the tree and sat down. "You can't just keep bringing me back here." I argued as he sat down in front of me.

His grey eyes studied me, confused. Then his voice softened with concern that I was unhappy. "You love it here. What's wrong? Would you like to go somewhere else?"

"No! I mean this." I sighed gesturing at everything around me. "You need to stay out of my head, out of my dreams, and out of my life."

"Reenie-" He started accompanied by a parental sigh and I was angry instantly.

"Stop calling me Reenie. It's not my name."

He continued as if I didn't speak, he stared at my feet, tracing patterns around them in the sand with his finger. " I don't bring you back here. You come here willingly because you want to see me."

I shook my head rebutting sarcastically. "Just like I want to hurt my family and friends?" He started to say something else but I already knew what he was going to say. "So they smother me from time to time, but at the end of the day we are there for each other." My mind wandered over the time before I slept. Speaking of being there for…

"What are you thinking?" Zach asked locking his eyes to mine no longer bothered with the design.

"Jacob saw the bite, everyone knows." I hesitated only for a second, the sound of his snarl scaring me. I steadied my breathing and continued. "My family will figure out what is happening to me, and they'll put and end to it."

His voice held an edge that caused me to shiver. "I'm aware of the complication Reenie. I don't need you to point it out."

"My family is smart. They'll figure something out, and whatever hold you have on me will be ended." I felt the truth in the words and it gave me hope.

"The vampires have no idea what I am capable of. So it's best they keep out of my way." He snarled standing up and returning to a pace in front of me.

"Vampires aren't the only family that I have." I snapped back bringing my knees to my chin. "When I say we love each other I mean we all love each other." He paced back and forth in silence his breaths a low growl of fury and frustration. I felt a hint of sadness though I wasn't sure why and I spoke with a kinder tone. "You should just leave me alone. Are you willing to die over something that can never be yours?"

"You are mine." He repeated again. "I have searched decades for someone like you, all the while not knowing if you even existed. You were made for me. Do you really think that I would just give up over a few vampires and shape shifters? No matter what abilities they have. You will come to me."

I winced, hating that he knew all the pieces of my mind. It wasn't the same way that my father, Asima, or Jabril did it, out of love and concern. It was fishing, and I hated being spied on. " I haven't come yet, and I don't plan on it."

He sighed looking off into the frozen sunset. "You are quite the aberration Reenie. My bond with you would have worked on anyone by now. Yet it has been weeks and you resist still. Some days you're close, others you're not. Why is that?"

I knew he wasn't talking to me but I couldn't resist answering. "It's because I don't love or want you."

He laughed at that thought. "No that's not possible. I assume that it's due to the fact that you aren't fully human. I'm getting impatient though, I would prefer you to come on your own, but if you don't I suppose I will just have to retrieve you myself."

I scoffed at that idea. "I can think of fifteen reasons why that would never work."

"They aren't all related to you."

I shrugged standing up, "None of them would let you touch me. You wouldn't even make it to me, let alone be able to take me anywhere."

"I wouldn't go alone. There are more of my kind." He flashed a wicked grin revealing a secret of his own. "We would have no trouble coming to get you."

More? More of what? "And what exactly is your kind?" I questioned studying him. He was like nothing I had ever seen before. Teeth like ours, soft skin, a completely masked scent that I could only smell when he was near. The ability to get inside my head, to control my emotions and make me question everything.

He smiled. "You'll know when you're with me. For the mean time your thoughts don't seem to be safe."

"You would know." I sneered back.

He sighed, any other time he would find my sass as amusing, yet challenging. Today however, he was obviously tired of it. My back was pressed against the tree and he stroked my face softly as he spoke. "You could make all of this easier by coming with me, but you insist that I come for you. And time is running out, so I will."

He played with the curly strands of hair that rested on my arms and neck. I took a deep breath as he curled them around his fingers and let them go. There were times when I wanted to go with him for some unexplained reason, and there were times when I feared for his safety, there were time when I cared for him and excused his behavior with him just being in love, and how hard it must be to love a person that wouldn't love you back. Then there were other times, where I could clear my head of him entirely, and I was in my normal thoughts and I was myself again. This was one of those times.

I cupped my hand around his face bringing his eyes to meet mine. I didn't look away as I spoke, and made sure that he knew without a doubt that ever word I was about to say rang true. "You come get me, and you will be signing your own death warrant."

He started to say something but I put my index finger on his lips, "Listen. You come get me, and not only will you sign your own death warrant, but I will let them."

The snarl in his chest reminded me of Jacob as it worked its way up to his throat and through his teeth. A growl that put fear in me, he clenched my shoulders making me drop my hand form his face as he spoke. "I will come to get you. You can't resist me when I'm close, I know that for a fact. If I have to tear through every house in that quaint little city to find you, I will."

I shivered knowing that his words were just as true as the ones I spoke. "You can't do that."

"I can, and every life lost in the process is your fault." He snapped letting me go. "Remember that." He ordered walking away from me.

I shot up, I was in bed, not my bed, but I didn't have time to allow my mind to recognize where I was. I pulled the covers back in a flash but before I could feel my feet touch the floor Esme was at my side. "Calm down Nessie, you're safe. It's me, I'm here."

I knew that I was safe. It wasn't me that I was worried about. Jake was holding me in place with Esme and I knew that they wouldn't release me. Carlisle was in there in a matter of seconds trying to coax me to calm down. They didn't understand, I needed to be as far away from them as possible. "No I don't, I need to leave. I have to get away from here."

Jasper came in with everyone else, and immediately started to feel tired. "You…don't understand… I have to leave." I struggled to beg, fighting his effect.

When everything calmed down, I was in Alice and Jasper's room sitting on the bed. Jasper and Carlisle were at my side. My parents, husband, and best friend all along the wall facing me. I stared away from them fearing judgment as I told everything that I knew.

None of them took it well, but Jacob didn't wear composed masks like everyone else. I even stopped a few times, thinking that it was becoming too much even though he urged me to continue with quivering tones.

When I was finished my mind automatically went back to me needing to plan my exit. I needed to keep everyone safe, and there was only one way that I could think of. "Maybe I should leave, go on the run. I mean, I was thinking, Jake and you all, could take care of Rosabella for a bit while I'm gone , I mean she doesn't need to see-"

"Absolutely not!" Jake snapped as if it were crazy. I couldn't control the panicked whimper that left my mouth, it reminded me of Zach, and once again the fear was her leaving him

My mom cut him a glance and she spoke a lot softer. "What I think Jacob is trying to convey, is that, we don't want you to leave. You are in no way a burden to us, and you do belong here."

Jasper backed her up, promise dripping in every word. "We are going to get to the bottom of this, Zach character, just like we are going to get to the bottom of what we need to do to help you."

"But, what if he finds me?" I questioned know that it would be a matter of time before he would.

"Then we will be ready." Asima cut in fir the first time. "Jennah is a fortress, so even if he could find you, there was no way that he would get to you. I think that trying to separate you is what he wants. For that reason. All of us are way to strong."

"I don't want you all to get hurt." I reasoned still wanting to leave. "He can bite through our skin. He's not human."

"You also said he was soft. Which means he isn't vampire either, makes him more breakable if you ask me." Jacob hissed.

"Enough." Carlisle sighed rubbing his hand down the bridge of his nose. He seemed so tired. "Ness, I am going to let Jasper put you to sleep. We will keep you safe don't doubt that, but we need to research what we will be up against."

I could feel it working but he didn't understand I didn't want to sleep again. I tried to explain but I was too tired. "But…."

My Dad's velvet voice soothed me more, holding a power of its own. "You need rest Nessie. Someone will be at your side every minute, but sleep darling."

"Hell." I sighed when I realized I was back in my oasis. Zach walked towards me picking me up by my arm. It hurt a little, no a lot.

"You had to give them more didn't you?" He questioned letting me go once he realized that I was uncomfortable.

"I won't lie to them." I sighed reminding him. "They would know if I did anyway."

He groaned rolling his neck, it making a cracking noise as it moved. "It doesn't matter. I will just have to come get you sooner."

"Or you could just be sane and leave me alone." I suggested walking away from him as I spoke. "My family isn't going to let you take me, and they are guarded more than ever since they know you plan on it."

"You're family annoys me." He sighed closing his eyes, his head tilted back facing the sky. "This Asima and Jack especially."

"It's Jake." I corrected harshly.

He shrugged as if his name were insignificant. "The point is, I don't like either of them."

"I'm sure that they aren't too fond of you either." I rolled my eyes ignoring him. He mumbled something under his breath about me being 'insufferable' and was furious again. "If I'm so insufferable, why won't you leave me alone?"

"Because you love me, and we're meant to be." He answered simply, his tone almost angelic.

"We're not in love Zach. I am in love with Jacob, you are just obsessed with what you can't have." I griped breaking it down for him.

He ignored me, that was his non angry reaction to any rejection from me. "Quite now Reenie. I need you to not fight me. I need to know everything about your family. What they are capable of. What they can do. How they think. All of it."

"Like I would ever tell you that." I hissed appalled, he obviously didn't know the word loyalty.

He just grinned his sinister smile, "You don't have to tell me anything, we're connected remember."

Heat rushed under my veins again and my memories involuntarily wandered backwards. "Stop." I requested feeling weak, angry with myself that every private thought I had was being shared with a person I barely knew.

"Asima is quite the interesting character." He mused taking my hand as the thoughts stopped at the first time Asima and I met in Hanover. I pulled my hand away, and he didn't take offense, he just brushed the back of it with his fingers. "Did you ever have any normal friends Love?"

"Normal friends won't go to war for you." Was all I could say when I felt my eyes start to water.

AN: OK I know that I never tend to do author's notes but it was important for me to do one. I want to apologize for not posting every week like I promised I would. I have had a lot going on and there has been some loss in my life that literally shattered my world. That and I have also been working on 2 other projects that aren't fanfic based that I am really excited about. But about this, I know alot of you have been dying to know what happens when Nessie is asleep and everything is blank. Now you know. As the chapters go on it will make more sense so please keep in mind I write everything I do for a reason and don't be so hard on her. Thank you for your reviews and views. Oh...and to the ones that have found me on facebook looking to add me. I'm sorry but my facebook is only for family and friends, but my twitter is for all. so follow me on there if you have it. TheeLady_Apathy maybe you guys can keep me focused on this story and possibly help me with ideas for other ones. Until next week Peace and blessings guys.

-DiNishaRob