Chapter 19 Part 1
Confrontation with the Cullen Clan
Daryl gave a guttural growl, storm eyes firmly locked onto startled amber. Before the vampiress could blink, Daryl had vaulted over the glass coffee table and about had the Cullen matriarch until one of those damn unnaturals—the one with the russet hair—stepped in, swiftly throwing the other out of Daryl's line of sight.
He lost his prey. The unnatural one took his prey. Kill the unnatural ones.
Before he knew what he was doing, Daryl had the kid by the throat, and although he wanted to end him, this one wasn't his prey. Edward went flying, unseen due to the speed of the throw. He crashed through walls and trees alike, impossibly unable to stop his descent.
In the shock of it all, Daryl was able to bypass the others and finally had the one called Esme by its pretty little alabaster neck. He absently wondered what was inside the unnatural one, wondered if it would still work if he popped the head off to look inside.
"Esme!" something sobbed out.
One large brown hand held a shoulder as the other gripped the unnatural's neck tightly and began to pull. Hideous cracks formed on marble skin, an inhuman screech sounded and the other unnaturals growled, the blonde clad in silk giving a curious keening noise.
There was only a rush of wind; that was the only warning Daryl had before he felt the impact, his prey gone and a predator now before him. Daryl gave a sniff towards the unnatural one, just to be sure. The too sweet scent was the same as the others with something a bit different, something sharp. It marked this one as predator.
Mates, his instincts told him.
The blonde Cullen patriarch and leader crouched defensively in front of Daryl's prey, its eyes black with rage.
Where one would be wary, Daryl only let out an answering growl towards the strength that was declared in this one's eyes. Yes, finally a challenge.
He mimicked the blonde patriarch's stance, although he couldn't keep the laughter out of his eyes or the fierce smile off his face that was more a bearing of teeth. These things were fun as hell.
Something in his expression gave the Cullen head pause. Cullen's eyes lightened to a more wary yellow, though his bearing didn't change. "Mr Balewa—no, Daryl. Please, lad. You don't want to do this."
The dread head blinked lazily, feeling more in control than he had in a long while. The voice was gone as though it'd never been. He felt so alive, awakened. He sniffed the air again.
"Nah, Cullen. Pretty sure this is exactly what I want to do. You unnaturals are pretending to be people and that's not right. No sir; not right at all." The dark man shook his head regretfully, long dreads swishing with the movement. "And you see, that one over there," he continued, cocking his head towards Jasper. "See that one laid hands on my sister, and that I just cannot abide. I'm the big brother, y'know and so I gotta do big brother shit like kick this family's ass. Seeing as we can't exactly handle this in the courts since you're not ahem—human. Sooo~," he cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders sinking into a fighting position.
"What if we apologize!"
Everyone, Daryl included, looked at the one who spoke. It was the burly and brawny looking one. Daryl cocked a brow. "Apologize?"
"Yeah, man. You're the big brother right? Your job is to make those who fuck with your sis sorry and that they never do it again. Well, we can make that happen. We'll apologize to her and then leave. She'll never have to see any of us again."
At this Jasper gave a start, snarling in protest before he could stop himself.
"Oh?" Daryl fixed a sharp glare on Jasper. "You've got something to say?"
"Nandi is mine," Jasper declared firmly. "But I will apologize. I…I treated her wrong, and she didn't deserve that. I'm not going anywhere unless she comes with me." He met Daryl's gaze unflinching, almost in challenge.
"Well, shit, goldie locks." Daryl called, barking out a disbelieving laugh. "You've got some brass balls, boy; I'll give you that. See before anything else though," he fixed his face into something frightening, grey eyes positively glacial. "We have to have us a lil' one on one, man-to-man kind of…talk."
We're ooofff to see the Wizaaaard! The wonderful Wizard of Oz!
Carlisle held up his phone, the source of the noise. The All Seeing Alice of Oz flashed back at everyone. Daryl nodded at Carlisle, who immediately answered, Alice's high soprano coming through clearly.
"Carlisle! It's Bella!" she shrilled instantly. "I couldn't see her, so you know that meant Black and company. So I went to her house and she wasn't in her room and neither was Charlie—in the house not the room. That'd make no sense for him to be in her room, why would he even-!"
"Alice," hissed Carlisle, interrupting her rambling. "Focus, what about Bella?"
"It was the newborns, Carlisle. There was a scent in Bella's room! Her room! Some of Bella's things were missing. A sweater, a pillow, and a hat…"
Carlisle bowed his head. "So they've got her scent."
"Well that's the thing Carlisle…"
"Spit it out! What, Alice? What is it?"
"They weren't—they weren't hers," Alice continued quietly, her voice shaky and in a near whisper. "They were Charlie's."
Loud gasps sounded in the room, but Carlisle paid them no mind. He clutched the phone and spoke deliberately. "Where is Bella, Alice?"
"Oh, Carlisle! You know how Bella is! Once she realized that they had Charlie's scent, she made up her stubborn little human mind and I saw it. She was going to Seattle after Charlie to save him! I couldn't-!"
"Where the blazes are you, Alice Cullen?"
There was a long pause that seemed to go on forever. "I'm on the 101 north," she finally answered, her voice calmer, if a little apologetic. "I'm about ten minutes out from passing Port Gamble; that's where Bella is. She left with the wolf. That's why I didn't see it! Her junk of a truck broke down. I'll be picking them up and going to save Charlie.
"We'll hit Seattle in one hour, eleven minutes and forty-six seconds. I know you're angry, Carlisle, but Bella's my sister. I love her, and I couldn't let her do this alone with the wolf." Her voice shrilled defensively, arguing her case. "If I came to you earlier, you'd have kept me from going, wanting to plan and such, and we'd have lost Charlie and Bella! And the wolves would be at our necks, once they found out about the newborns and Victoria; I saw it! And you know I'm right."
"Mary Alice Cullen," Carlisle hissed fiercely into the phone, his eyes dark with anger. "You and your visions! They're subjective, Alice! They're not set in stone; you know this! Why would you—" Carlisle cut himself off, visibly calming and collecting himself, shooting a semi irritated, semi-grateful look Jasper's way. "You can't save Charlie and Bella alone, even with young Jacob. Once you get to Seattle, wait for us. We're coming. This is not a request. You will wait."
"I'll wait for forty-seven minutes," then she pitched her voice low, it vibrated the phone, yet her words came out clearly with a just a hint of a buzz. "Charlie will head to the coffee shop in the western part of town; he'll run into one of the older newborns there as he leaves. She'll grab him before he can even think to reach for his gun. She's going to bring him immediately to Victoria, who's waiting in an unfinished parking garage…"
"Alice…"
"So, I'll wait for forty-seven minutes. Any longer, and Charlie's dead, which means Bella won't be too far from joining him. And I won't lose my sister."
Click.
Carlisle looked at his phone then calmly placed it in his pocket. He didn't look at anyone as he headed to the door. "Let's go."
Daryl, who stood by and listened to the Cullen conversation was trying to piece together what was going on. He understood that Alice had visions and Officer Swan was in danger, but he didn't know what it meant about the newborns, what they were and why they were dangerous, or what the hell the Cullens were doing with a pet wolf. He also didn't know what the beef was with this Victoria. He did understand that the unnaturals were attempting to leave when he wasn't finished with them.
"Cullen, we're not finished here," he growled out.
Carlisle turned slowly, the promise of violence crackling in the air, his eyes black once more and his knuckles absolutely white as he clenched them into fists tightly trying to reign in his anger and fear.
"I'm going after my daughters, Mr Balewa," he declared very quietly, his black eyes narrowed. "I don't want to fight, but I will. We all will if you attempt to keep us from going after our own. And while you may be something other, I doubt you'd be able to handle the entirety of my family."
Daryl wanted to lash out, wanted to accept the challenge. And it would be a challenge, one he felt he might be able to meet, but he hesitated. Not because he was scared, no it was the look in Carlisle's eyes. A desperation that he himself felt when he found his sister hysterical about uSathane. It was fear also—not necessarily of him, but the fate of Cullen's 'daughter'. And Daryl could understand that. While the beings before him weren't human, and made his very being bristle with violence, with the need to erase their wrongness from the world, Daryl couldn't ignore this evidence of humanity.
He nodded, standing down.
"I'm coming with. I've got beef with your boy, Jasper there, and I like Chief Swan, so I'll help protect him. Not to mention I still need my apology."
Carlisle nodded tersely, then turned his back on Daryl, typing rapidly on his phone. "We're running to the airport; I just bought a plane; we'll take it and fly it to Seattle. Keep up, Mr Balewa." Then he was gone, the other Cullens gone with him.
Daryl smirked and followed after, easily catching up to the near flying family as they blurred through the countryside. He was equally amazed at his speed and immediately comfortable with it, as though he'd had the ability his entire life.
Carlisle, to his credit, merely blinked in surprise. Then he sped up, his family and Daryl following suit.
They made it to the airport quickly. Carlisle cut his eyes to both blondes; Rosalie and Jasper nodded and was gone instantly, although Jasper looked mutinous all the same.
They weren't gone long, back with several papers in hand and a besotted man who obviously worked there in tow; the man punched in a code that opened the hangar, passing off equipment and keys to the blonde female eagerly.
She thanked the man, touching his arm appreciatively. Daryl couldn't help his disgusted grimace when he saw that the man looked like he was about to offer his soul to Rosalie if she gave even the slightest indication that she wanted it.
Carlisle cut his eyes to Jasper again, jerking his head to the enraptured fool. Jasper casually shrugged, his gaze almost lazy on the worker, and the adoring man blinked, suddenly embarrassed and eager to leave.
They all boarded the plane, not exactly first class, but able to comfortably fit them all with a few seats to spare. Surprises of surprises, the pilot was none other than Daryl's former prey.
"Her name is Esme, she's like a mother to me." The russet haired Ed-something said, eyes trained warily on Daryl's large frame.
Daryl shrugged then leaned forward, smirking when he saw the boy flinch before he could stop himself, a scowl on the boy's face.
"What are newborns and who's Victoria?"
The Cullens all exchanged weighted looks before Carlisle gave a sigh and nod of his head. They explained newborns were freshly turned vampires and wasn't that a shock! The unnaturals were vampires. They told him how someone named James became obsessed with Miss Swan and how Edward (that was the russet haired boy's name) destroyed this Victoria's mate, protecting his own, and now she was back for revenge.
"Well, shit." Daryl said after taking it all in. "Soooo… not bears killing people?"
Carlisle grimaced, shaking his head sadly. "No, not bears." Taking in the threatening look the dark skinned man slanted his way, Carlisle hastened to explain. "We don't drink from humans! We feed from animals; it's why our eyes are gold."
Daryl nodded, swallowing back a growl, though his face tightened in repressed anger. "The murders in Seattle? The people missing..?"
Carlisle sighed. "Victoria and her newborns. See, a new vampire is generally….hungry; it takes some time to wean them, but so many new vampires and you have…so much death."
"Just how many newborns are we dealing with here?"
Again, the Cullens shared a look with each other, before Carlisle spoke again.
"A veritable army."
Daryl let out a whistle. "An army, huh. Guess it's a good thing I'm tagging along." He settled back into his seat before slanting a look Carlisle's way, considering his next words. "So, Alice has visions…"
Carlisle nodded curtly, not expounding on the statement that was clearly a question. Jasper had no such compunction.
"Alice can see the future."
"Jasper!" Carlisle hissed. The brawny son adopted a disapproving frown.
Jasper shrugged, unrepentant. "If he is to fight with us, he should know our strengths and weaknesses. Let's not forget that I don't answer to you anymore, Cullen," he sneered, eyes hard. "I'm only here for Alice." He turned back to Daryl and nodded at his 'brother.' "Edward there," he continued, "can read minds. And I, well I'm an empath. I can feel what you feel and sometimes," he met Daryl's eyes squarely. "I can change what you feel."
Daryl bit back his anger. It was him! He's the one who's been messing with my head! Daryl leveled a knowing look Jasper's way, his irritation clear. "Fuck with my head again and I'm ripping yours off." Without waiting for a reply, he turned to the mind reader of the 'family.' Read me loud and clear, Ed-boy. You tell my secrets, I rip out your tongue and tear off your fingers. What's in my heart is between me and the Lord Almighty alone. "You get me?"
Edward grudgingly nodded. "I can't help what I hear. I can't exactly turn it off."
Daryl shrugged, agreeing. "I feel you on that, but see I don't really care what you hear; it's what you do with the information. Listen all you like, really, but the moment you tell what you hear, is the moment we now have a problem. And that's it, that's all."
"I'll do my best to respect your privacy, but that which concerns my family and can harm them, I will freely and cheerfully offer up."
"Do that, kid. That's definitely your prerogative. Just know that once you do, well," Daryl bared his teeth in a mockery of a smile. "That ass is mine."
"We're here." Esme announced from the pit just as the plane pitched forward.
Everyone quickly exited the plane, Carlisle already on the phone with Alice to get her location. Then they were piling into their luxury car rentals and absolutely flying down the lit streets of Seattle.
Snatches of conversation was had, in which Daryl found out that Alice only saw once you decided and Edward couldn't read the Swan's girl mind. Before he could ask about that particular story, they were stopping.
"Alice!" Carlisle and Esme cried out in relief, quickly enveloping the waif like girl in their arms, the very picture of relief.
"Bella!" Much more carefully, but no less relieved the Swan girl was gathered into the arms of the loving parental unit the Cullens were portraying. Then the Swan girl practically collapsed into Edward's arms, suddenly spent and absolutely clinging onto the man (?).
"Oh, Edward!" she swooned, actually swooned. "They have Charlie! They've got my dad and I had to come. I had to. Please don't be mad at me!" Then she started to cry softly into Edward's shirt, whom gathered her up tightly and shushed her gently, running his hands soothingly through her hair.
Before Daryl knew it, he had the Edward kid by the shoulder, his grip almost crushing as he was about to jerk the unnatural from the Swan girl, but he stopped himself at the last moment just squeezing Edward's shoulder warningly. The boy took the hint and untangled Swan from him, just staying close, but not touching. It was enough to calm the violence raging inside the dark skinned man as he was able to fight his instincts that screamed to end the wrongness.
"Where's Charlie, Bella?"
"He's um on his way? I texted Charlie and told him that I came to Seattle with Alice to go um shopping?"
Although she was giving answers, her voice pitched high at the end, turning everything the girl said into a question. The tense situation aside, Daryl thought it was pretty funny. Edward, the nosiest vamp ever, picked up on his thought and shot him a dirty look.
"Charlie will be leaving the office soon then headed to the café downtown where Bella's told him we will be meeting up for a late brunch. The only thing is I can't see anything past that because of him!" She pointed quite accusingly at a nonplussed teen.
Said teen, turned his nose up and sneered at the elfish girl, disgust clear on his face. "Not my problem leech."
Daryl paused to consider the teen. He couldn't explain but the boy felt…familiar. It was the strangest thing. It kind of felt like his sister was standing right next to him, but not really. It was confusing.
"We don't have time for this, wolf."
"Jake, please. My dad."
The teen, Jake, immediately calmed himself at Swan's pleading. He clenched his teeth, but nodded all the same, stepping back from the vampires but not giving them his back.
"Exactly, Bells. Your dad. The bloodsuckers are the reason he's in danger in the first place! But you don't seem to care because here you are—with him!"
"Jake…"
"Whatever, Swan. I knew I should have brought the pack."
"Yeah," Jasper drawled, cutting in. "You probably should have." He turned to the Swan girl. "Isabella if you still want to have a dad, I'd suggest we probably get a move on, but that's just what I would do if I wanted to keep my dad from dyin' a horrible bloody death from vengeful newborns."
"Jasper," Edward growled out, looking like for the unlife of him he wanted to cover the Swan girl's ears.
"Yes, Cullen? Did you want me to lie? Apologies, Miss Bella." His face softened, a sympathetic smile forming on his face, but his eyes were hard. "If you continue justifying your relationship to the wolf Jacob, your dad might go away forever because of really bad people."
"You mean monsters," Jacob rumbled, shaking as he looked at the blonde, all animosity present.
"Why, yes, dog," Jasper smiled at Jacob really slowly, all teeth (too much teeth). "I meant monsters."
Daryl stepped into the blonde's line of sight. To Jasper's credit and Daryl's surprise, Jasper did not react besides slanting a look his way.
"Chief Swan, everybody." The Jacob kid finally took notice of Daryl. His eyes narrowed in confusion before widening in recognition.
"You're Nandi's brother!"
"Yes, and you're obviously from the reservation. What are you doing with the vamps?"
"So you know about them?"
"Well I kinda—"
"Hey! Focus everybody. My dad."
Nothing more was said, they all slid into their respective cars, Bella staying with Edward. Daryl feeling drawn to the Jacob boy. Going at incredibly illegal speeds on residential streets, they were pulling into a semi full parking lot.
…..
A startled and slightly awed Chief Swan met them at the parking garage of the restaurant. He gawked, mouth agape and eyes slightly dazed at the group, starting as his daughter broke away and ran full speed at him, his arms coming out to wrap around her, shocked at Bella's uncharacteristic behavior.
His shock soon turned into suspicion and then anger, his eyes narrowing on the pretty boy boyfriend that broke his little girl's heart much too often.
"Dad! You're okay!" his girl cried, her face buried in his shoulder like she used to do as a tike, back when she used to run to him when Jacob Black's sisters wouldn't share their toys, back when she called him 'Daddy' instead of 'Charlie.'
He hugged her close, rubbing his hands soothingly down her back. "Hell's Bells, I'm fine, kiddo. What's gotten into you?"
Suddenly and much too soon, Bella stiffened in his arms, aware now and embarrassed. Woefully, Charlie released her, not much for public affection himself, but for a second he missed the days when Bella used to hug him and call him her favoritest person in the whole world, 'but don't tell Mom,' she'd say.
Swallowing back emotion, Charlie let his daughter go and Bella turned to the boy who seemed to always be present when she distanced herself from her father, not even meeting his eyes.
"Sorry, Charlie. I just uh- I-I heard…" Charlie saw her blindly reach back, and the Cullen boy, that damn Edward was there, grasping his daughter's hands without thought.
"Bella heard you were in Seattle and that the murders were happening here. She just wanted to make sure you were okay." He rubbed the back of his neck with a pale hand, almost sheepish. "I uh, I told her that you'd be fine, that you can take care of yourself, Chief Swan, but she needed to know her dad was okay, and well I kinda wanted to be sure also." His strange ocher eyes were suddenly soft and serious and Charlie found himself hating the kid a bit less.
"Aw, kid, I'm fine. You know your old man can take care of himself. Been doing it for a while now."
"I know dad, but with everything going on, the…the people going missing and the murders, I uh, I worried is all."
"I appreciate the concern, Bells. Your old man isn't going anywhere and neither are you for that matter because you're grounded."
"Grounded! What, why?! And I'm 18, Dad."
"Because you came all the way to Seattle without permission and without telling me and—is that Jake?"
Jacob Black waved innocently from the passenger side of a Land Rover.
"Hey, kid! Whatcha doing all the way out here and does Billy know where you are?"
"Bella isn't the only one that worried about you, Chief. Dad and Sue couldn't leave the res, but they wanted assurance too."
"Alright, alright. Guess I'll start checking in and calling back home so another search party isn't sent out." Charlie said glibly, but his pinked cheeks and soft eyes betrayed his sincere appreciation for the concern. "Esme! Oh and uh Dr. Cullen," he noticed the beautiful couple and their 'kids.' "What brought you out here?"
Carlisle's eyes crinkled. "Call me Carlisle, Chief Swan. Alice called my wife and me on an… impromptu road trip with your daughter, and we were understandably concerned."
"Bella!"
"Carlisle!" Bella gasped out, looking betrayed.
"Bella!" Charlie called out again. "You involved poor Alice Cullen in this? You didn't get her parents' permission?!" Turning to the Cullens. "I'm sorry about this Carlisle. I know how worried my kid makes me. There's more than a few gray hairs my girl and your boy caused me."
"Not a problem, Charlie. After Alice explained the situation, we found ourselves concerned for you also."
"And so you brought your entire family to the place people are being murdered…?"
"Well, naturally, I forbid them to go but then they said they'd just sneak away like Alice if they couldn't come with. You've made quite the impression on these kids, Chief Swan. On Forks as a whole."
"Well, uh, thanks for that. These knuckle-headed kids would be the death of us."
Bella let out a near hysterical laugh and Carlisle's smile became strained.
"Yes, well. Sorry we interrupted your break. Let us treat you to dinner. My family and I already ate—Alice's way of buttering us up."
"Don't I know all about that one!" Charlie laughed. "Bells makes my favorite meal whenever she wants something. I come home to fresh fish and cold beers and I know she's wanting something or done found herself in some trouble. While I appreciate the offer, Dr. Cullen, I'm just going to grab something quick then head back to the office. We can all grab dessert afterwards, your treat."
"Edward has always been curious about what it is that you do, Dad!" Bella interjected quickly. "He's been thinking about a career in law enforcement."
Charlie raised a brow, taking in Edward's stylishly windswept hair and slight build skeptically.
"I thought you said he was going to be a piano playing doctor, Bells and heal the world with his beautiful lullabies."
Emmett snickered loudly. "Too right, Chief Swan. It was actually me that was thinking about going into criminal justice. All those Criminal Minds marathons got me interested."
"A TV show is what you're basing your future on, son? Kids these days…"
"Well, like I told Dad, it's either that or the military. I'm stopping the bad guys one way or another."
"Me too, Charlie!" Jacob called. "I uh was wondering about it too. Now it's too early to be thinking about my future—"
"Are you kidding, son? This is the perfect time! We'll call Billy and let him know you're safe, parents like when you do considerate things like that."
"Dad…" Bella near whined, quite chastened.
"Hint, hint, Bells." Charlie continued. "Well let's go then, boys. That is if you're okay with it, Carlisle, Esme…?"
"Cullen, uh I mean Emmett, didn't you say that you needed to do something somewhere else?" Jacob asked almost pointedly. "I'll take off with Charlie and you and your… brothers can meet up after."
"Oh, of course, Jacob." Esme cut in with a beatific smile. "You're absolutely right. Emmett, honey, didn't you want to catch up with Jasper and his friend, Darr...ren? I'm sure Chief Swan wouldn't mind you shadowing him later. Let young Mr. Black shadow him, I'm sure one at time will allow for a better understanding and teaching." Looking up at Charlie underneath her lashes, red lips smiling genially, the vampires silently implored the chief. "Don't you think so, Chief Swan?"
Charlie blushed hard, quickly darting his eyes away from the beautiful woman. Get a grip, Charlie-boy. That's someone's wife and the husband is right in front of you!
"Y-y-yeah… It'd be easier with just one of you uh," Charlie floundered, clearing his throat hastily, searching for a safe distraction to get his footing back under him. He looked directly at the patriarch, steadfastly keeping his eyes on Carlisle. "Say, uh Carlisle, just where are your other kids? I see Alice and Emmett and Rosalie in the car but where is the other one with the blonde hair?"
"Jasper. He decided to stay back at the hotel; college entrance exams stop for no one."
"Ah. Didn't take him for the studious sort."
"Yes, well. We'll see you boys in an hour or so." Esme sang with a soft smile of encouragement. "Us girls are going shopping. I need new curtains for the living room."
"And I have my nurses going spare right now back in Forks. I'll calm them down, check in with them and catch up on some much needed rest then we can grab that dessert, Chief. My treat."
"Sounds like a plan, let's go Jake."
…..
"So where is it you work when out here, Chief?" Jacob asked after long moments of companionable silence.
"Since they're not all that sure that the killings are human or animal, I've split my time between the disappearances in the city and as a favor, I've been looking into the disappearances in Seward Park. That's where we're headed now."
"So you find clues to help you find people? Are you any closer to finding out what happened to them?"
"What do you think I do as Chief of Police of Forks?" Charlie asked, eye slanting towards the 'inspiring officer.'
"Uh, you solve cases and help people feel safe."
"That's a nice thought Jake, but I really—"
SKRRR CRASH!
Jacob's quick reflexes had him covering Charlie Swan just as a van t-boned the passenger side. The car went airborne for a moment before CRASHING back down and rolling, rolling until it stopped with a loud clang, Jacob's world going sideways as the car stopped on its left side—the driver's side. Jacob's head flew back hard against the headrest as the airbags deployed, and the siren went off, adding to the bells already ringing in his head. The teenager was dazed, his eyes going in and out of focus, his head swiveled shakily to and fro, and his blurry sight just barely made out the slumped form of Charlie. His eyes widened only to narrow in sudden determination. He had to get Charlie!
Injured and fighting back the urge to shift, Jacob tried to wake Charlie, who did not stir at the teenager's frantic prodding. Forcing himself not to panic, Jacob let instinct guide him. One hand held firmly onto the headrest as he broke his seatbelt, freeing himself, the headrest creaked as it was forced to take the teen's considerable full weight. Searching blindly for the door handle, Jake's hand was able to take in how mangled the metal on his side of the door was, but the handle was there. He pulled it but the blasted door wouldn't budge and Jacob could smell blood and it wasn't his own, that coupled with Carlie's loud labored breathing, Jacob had to hurry.
Moving quickly, he brought his legs up to his chest and kicked out the cracked window shield with all the strength of the supernatural, one kick sending the shield flying. Jacob crawled out, ignoring the glass as it scraped against him, he changed his position so that he was half inside the car with his legs outside. The chief wouldn't budge as the teenage shifter tried to pull him out even with his incredible strength and the leverage his new position allowed. Jacob couldn't figure out why until his tearing eyes landed on the goddamn seatbelt. Of course. The teenager tried to unbuckle an unconscious Charlie before simply ripping the seatbelt off, catching the chief's weight under the arms and swiftly dragging him out through the wind-shield and away from the wreckage with an inhuman quickness that would have dazed a conscious Charlie.
The teen deeming the Chief of Fork's police was a safe distance, set him down on the grass only to freeze once clear as his senses screamed danger. Leech.
There behind the wheel was the red headed bitch. She locked eyes with him deliberately, opening the door of the van that ran into them and disappeared. The teen's shifter eyes barely caught sight of her until she was a ways away. She was fast, but Jacob would be faster. Without thought, the teen took off after the red head as she darted into the park, a growl reverberating from him as he gave chase.
…
Daryl, who had stolen away with his newfound speed once he realized Charlie didn't know about the supernatural, quickly bent the corner in one of the Cullen's rentals. Jasper for whatever reason decided to tag along. The two surreptitiously trailed after the conspicuous police cruiser.
"Why are you still here, man?" Daryl asked the silent vamp in the passenger seat next to him.
Jasper stared resolutely ahead at the blurring buildings.
"I asked you a question, Cullen."
"Whitlock," the blonde snarled, face screwed up into a near demonic visage with his anger; he'd never looked more the vampire.
There was silence.
It crackled in the small space of the car.
Jasper breathed, working his clenched jaw into a more relaxed grimace. "My name is Whitlock. Jasper Whitlock. Not Cullen. Never Cullen."
"Whitlock," Daryl worked the name around in his mouth, a new question burning on the tip of his tongue. Daryl rolled his large shoulders. "Fuck it, man. I'm not even going to ask."
The wheel jerked, the car skidding as they narrowly missed colliding with what was definitely a drunk driver who just blew through a red light.
"Imbongolo!" Daryl yelled out of reflex as he pumped the brake just in time.
The car stopped, the seatbelt the only thing keeping the two from flying through the windshield.
There was a deafening POP!
"Tell me that wasn't what I think it was," Daryl whined.
"Tire popped. Gotta run it before we miss Charlie."'
"Yeah, you're right. Not like it wouldn't be faster on foot for us."
The two took off after the cruiser, being careful to stay in less populated and shadowy areas. A loud crash had them quickening even more.
Jasper and Daryl arrived just as a large wolf that had to be Jacob disappeared in the thick tree line, a copse of heavy greenery swallowing his bounding form and the beginning of a growl.
Daryl took quick stock of the bleeding and unconscious chief Swan and a dark eyed but calm Jasper. The chief was losing blood quickly, a piece of shrapnel from the crash pierced his leg and side if the dark splotch on his pants was any indication.
"You go after him and" he paused to sniff, under the coppery tang of blood, picking up on the sickly sweet scent that marked one of them.
"Victoria." Jasper supplied, still calm next to a bleeding Charlie Swan.
"I'll follow after once I have him safe somewhere. Keep your phone on you."
Jasper nodded then disappeared without a backwards glance.
Daryl turned back to the unconscious chief and carefully placed his hand at the nape of Swan's neck, holding his seriously concussed head off the ground, his other hand going under the chief's knees then lifted the man as though he weighed nothing, Daryl's stride not faltering the least as he carried Swan bridal style to lay in the shade of a large elm, far away from the wreckage that was starting to smoke.
The dark man removed his jacket and belt. He quickly wrapped his belt tightly under Charlie's groin, his make-shift tourniquet hopefully buying the chief time. Daryl hoped the shrapnel hadn't hit anything vital. There didn't seem to be any gushing, so maybe not an arterial wound, but Daryl wasn't a doctor.
Making certain the belt was tight above the wound, Daryl turned back to the slow burning cruiser. The car was flipped, but hopefully, what Daryl needed would be in the passenger side. Lying flat on his belly in the shattered glass, Daryl didn't even wince as he reached a long arm into the car, hands blindly feeling along for the glove compartment. Moments later, Daryl blurred back to Charlie, brandishing a first-aid kit triumphantly.
The kit was basic, having only anti-septic, bandages and gauze, but it would do. He ripped the leg of Swan's trousers, exposing a mess of purpling bruising underneath all the blood leaking out of what was definitely going to need stitches. And Jesus, whatever stabbed the chief, might have nicked something important, because Swan was losing color and the damn stab wound kept bleeding, a bit slower with the tourniquet, but still hadn't stopped.
Working quickly, within seconds, Daryl's inhuman speed had the wound flushed with the antiseptic, gauze used liberally into the cut then bandaged snug.
Daryl picked Swan up again, ready to race him to the nearest hospital when his hearing picked up someone quickly approaching, his nose telling him next that it was the Cullens.
Carlisle wasted no time as he seemingly materialized, dropping next to the chief, taking in Daryl's quick first-aid with an impressed look that bordered on insulting. The doctor nodded decisively then turned to his family who was waiting impatiently for instruction and holding themselves stiffly, eyes black with a reluctant hunger.
"Emmett, Rosalie, Alice, go after Jacob." They all turned with relief and were gone. "Esme," he turned to his wife, apologetic but firm. "Love, you're not a fighter and that may be needed, and Charlie needs medical attention. Daryl may have slowed the bleeding, buying Chief Swan time, but that's it. Charlie is running out of time—"
A car skurrreedd up; Carlisle sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in a human gesture of annoyance and resignation.
The car, a dark blue Escalade, passenger door flew open the moment the car came to a stop. Bella flying out and running straight to Charlie, a sob escaping her as her hands fluttered over him uselessly. She turned tearful brown eyes Carlisle's way, who noticeably softened his countenance.
"Bella, he needs a hospital and Jacob went after Victoria—"
"Victoria," the teen whispered hoarsely, overcome with emotion. She clutched her father's hand, head down and long brown hair obscuring her from the world. "Did she do this?"
Carlisle hesitated. Technically, he didn't know, but it didn't take a vampire to figure out what most likely happened. The pause was enough that Bella growled impressively for a human, looking up her eyes were bright, almost manic and her teeth were bared almost feral.
"Go, Carlisle. Get that…that bitch," she spat. "I'll drive Charlie to the hospital."
Edward wordlessly picked up Charlie and carefully deposited him into the backseat of the Cadillac. He made to drive, but Carlisle stopped him.
"Edward, you're the fastest of us all, and with your ability, you can prove invaluable against whatever we may be facing."
Edward hesitated, torn.
Esme stepped forward, a soft smile on her face. "Go, I'll stay with Bella."
Carlisle hugged his wife close, Edward embracing Bella, both whispering under his breath endearments and if their "I love you" sounded like a good-bye, no one said anything.
Bella tearfully, but resolutely slid in the backseat with her comatose father, her hand finding his as she whispered soothing nothings, Esme behind the wheel as the Escalade sped back towards the city.
"Well, now that Swan is heading to safety, maybe now we can go help Jasper against an army of newborns." Daryl said pointedly, as he tied his long dreadlocks back, loosening his broad shoulders in preparation.
"Of course. Why did you stay when I sent everyone else away?"
"You're a vamp," Daryl pointed out with a duh tone. "Swan was bleeding."
"Ah."
It wasn't too much later until they found themselves turning back around as they followed the scent, coming upon the rest of the Cullens.
"Their scent turns back towards the city." Emmett informed.
"Bella." Edward breathed, quickly disappearing.
"No! Edward!" Carlisle called after him. He turned to the clairvoyant. "Alice?"
Alice's fey like features blanked. Her wide amber eyes seeing past her surroundings. Precious moments later, she finally blinked, coming back to herself. "The parking garage!" she exclaimed. "In the original vision there was an unfinished parking garage on the west side of the city —the one Charlie was going to be taken to; that's where she'll be!"
"West of here," Carlisle mused grimly. "It's fairly abandoned with dilapidated buildings and all of the construction going on."
"The Detroit side of Seattle," Emmett chimed in, with a half-hearted laugh, yelping dramatically when Rosalie slapped him upside the head with a fond smile.
"Let's go."
…..