Author's Note:

Yes, I know, I am updating, again! Gosh, I love when I actually update early, it so very rarely happens. Well, I hope all of you have had a magnificent week. I will definitely update soon, and after this chapter, you'll probably understand why... so read on, and make sure you review to let me know what you think'll happen, or what you maybe want to happen.

As always, Happy Reading!

I really hate to say it, but I don't own Twilight. I know, I know, the truth hurts.

I won't breathe until you just tell me everything's alright,

I am not scared of losing this,

I'm afraid of losing you,

I'm sorry that this will not end,

But I can't find the strength to speak

-I'm Afraid Of Losing You, A Rocket To The Moon

Ch. 16 Darkness

"Babe, sweetie, wake up, please", Quil's soft, pleading whispers and his gentle nudges woke me up. I was generally a really light sleeper, but ever since Quil and I started sharing a bed, I sleep like a log. Quil has informed me that I also roll like one, too.

I grunted, halfway asleep, but forced my legs to move. Quil lifted me slightly, under my armpits, until I was standing on the ground next to our bed. Technically, it was Emily and Sam's guest bed, but we slept in it together almost every night now, so in retrospect, it was 'ours'.

I wiped some sleep from my eyes, and glanced at the lighted clock on the bedside table. Four-flipping-A.M.! What in the hell is going on for Quil to get me up this early? I could be sleeping in that bed right now, dreaming my always happy and pleasant Quil-dreams, but no, he wakes me up at four A.M. for who know's what!

"Quil! What's going on? It's four A.M.!" I whispered harshly, not wanting to waken the rest of the sleeping household. I love this guy, I really stinking do, but sometimes I think he's insane.

"I know what time it is. And I can explain, but, we have to go, like now", Quil whispered back hurriedly, his voice very anxious and shaky. Now that I noticed it, his body was sort of trembling, too. That's wierd...

"Quil, what is going on? You're shaking, and you're talking really fast..." I wondered, my own nerves spiking after knowing he was in this sort of state. Something serious was going on, I could tell. Goosebumps rose on my arms and legs.

"Just, get dressed Claire and I'll explain later. Just do what I say for the next ten to fifteen minutes, please. Okay?" Quil's voice was really edgy now, and though I couldn't see his face in the darkness, I could clearly picture what it would look like from the sound of his voice. His thick eyebrows would be bunched together, that little worried crease that I loved so much would be poking out. His eyes would be dancing with anxiousness, worry underlying in their chocolate depths. His jaw would be clenched, a habit I noticed he had presented whenever something got him upset.

I nodded my head, but then realizing he probably wouldn't be able to see it, I added a small, "Uh-huh". He sighed a breath of relief and finally let go of me so I could get dressed. I didn't really ask why he didn't turn on any lights, I figured he would have if there wasn't a problem with it, so I refrained from questioning it. I felt around my dresser for a basic shirt and a pair of jeans. They might not match, but at least they were clothing. And I had a feeling that whatever Quil was so riled up about, clothing choices wouldn't be a major concern.

"I'm ready", I mumbled after pulling on some flip-flops. Quil simply made a small grunting noise and lifted me off the ground, bridal-style, rushing out of the room like a man on a mission.

The house was dark, not a surprise considering the hour, but it was oddly quiet. I mean, not that it would normally be incredibly loud at four in the morning, but usually there was the little noises. Like the hushed breathing from the kid's bedrooms. Or the slight drippy-droppy noises coming from the creaky sink in the kitchen. Or the barely noticeable hum from the wind outside hitting the windows. But tonight, it was dead silent.

I wanted to ask Quil so many questions. I desperately wanted to know what the hell was going on. Where he was taking me. Why he was acting so strangely. What was the problem. Why it was so quiet. But I couldn't. I had promised him that I would just do what he said for the next ten to fifteen minutes.

He bursted out of that house, knocking the creaky door on it's hinges, and I shivered as the cool night air touched my bare skin. It was La Push, so no matter the season, it always tended to be a little chilly, especially at night. Quil tightened his grip on me, maybe because of the shivers, maybe for unknown reasons. I didn't ask.

Quil's rusty old truck was parked on the gravel driveway, and he quickly placed me in the passenger's side before running like a maniac to the drivers. Looking out the window, I couldn't make out any outlines of Sam and Emily's vehicles. They must be gone, too. What in the lord's name was going on? Again, I held my tongue.

Quil pulled out of there faster than a bat out of hell and I could feel it straight through my bones. It hit me like a brick wall, and I couldn't even fathom how stupid I had been. Quil was this huge, buff, werewolf, that could almost defeat anything that could come his way, with one exception. And I happened to know what that one exception was.

Vampires.

It fit perfectly, with every single thing that was going on. Why Quil had been so urgent and anxious about everything. Why the house was empty, and why Sam and Emily were nowhere to be seen. Why Quil was squeezing my hand with so much force that I thought it might just break.

I didn't want to say a word, I had promised Quil, but I couldn't hold it in any longer. Not when I knew the truth.

"Vampire?" I simply questioned softly, my voice barely loud enough to hear myself. But the way Quil's head snapped up, I knew he heard me.

"Yeah...Collin caught the scent around midnight, followed the trail, and it led straight into town. We would have gotten to killing them sooner, but we only have one wolf on night duty's now, since so many are imprinted and want to go home to their families. Collin couldn't handle all of them by himself", Quil explained, steering down the winding La Push back roads like an expert. He didn't even have the headlights on.

"Them?" I questioned. I noticed the plural he used. That meant multiple...vampires.

"You're pretty observant, aren't you?" He joked, but I noticed there was absolutely no humor in his voice. "There's four. We talked to the Cullen's already, the vegitarian ones in Forks, and these bloodsuckers are not their friends. These ones are dangerous, Carlisle said he knew them from back when he lived in Europe. Apparently, they ki - they're just bad news, Claire. Real bad news. And they have already threatened us", Quil finished, his voice cold and hard. I could hear the hatred he had for these beings seeping through his voice.

"What do you mean 'threatened you'?" I asked, hoping I wasn't distracting Quil too much from driving wherever we were going. I didn't want to bother him when he needed to focus.

"Well, one of them, the male leader of the coven, told Carlisle why they were heading here when the Cullen's were out hunting last night. The leech told him that we killed his mate, awhile back. We probably did, there's been so many vamp's passing through over the years that have fed on people around here. We had to kill them. But now, now he's back for revenge. Carlisle said he planned on getting ahold of one of the imprints, taking a mate for a mate", Quil said, his voice quiet, but I could hear in his voice that he was talking through clenched teeth.

I gulped. I was an imprint. I was exactly what that vampire wanted.

As if Quil could sense my thoughts, "Don't worry. He won't get near you. He'll be going through me, and all the other wolves."

I stayed silent for the rest of the crazy ride, thoughts crowding my brain at an alarming rate. I couldn't process any of it, either. Quil didn't say anything more, just drove with the gas pedal pressed to the floor, his werewolf sight guiding us through the black night's darkness.

Just when I thought the ride would never end, the car came to a rest. I couldn't see anything, so I definitely had no idea where we were. Quil carefully grabbed my body, lifting it over the center console and out of the driver's side, so that I never left his arms, and headed towards a building, I suspected, but I could only see the slight outline of it, so I couldn't be sure. Quil knocked his fist in a abnormal pattern on a door. Rum-bump-dat-do-dum. The pattern somehow made it's way into my memory, the echo running rampant in my mind.

The door was opened, and inside was again, complete darkness. I was getting used to all the darkness by now.

"Glad you made it, come on in", someone whispered, a low baritone voice that I couldn't recognize.

"Thanks, Jake, is everyone here?" Quil's voice sort of surprised me, his chest slightly moving with his words. I realized I was clinging to him, like I would be for dear life, but Quil didn't seem to mind. I was glad he didn't, because I needed him right now. Needed to feel his body touching mine.

"Almost. Not yet. Embry and Bethany are still missing. Last time I talked to him, he was heading home to get her and the kids. He mentioned something about Emersyn and Max being heavy sleepers." Jake sounded so calm, I could see how he would be a good Alpha once Sam quit. I had overheard Sam and Emily talking a lot about that lately, and I wouldn't be surprised if he quit soon.

"Good, good. Well, I'm gonna get Claire in here. Where are the rest of the guys?" Quil started walking me slowly into the darkness and set me down on something soft. It felt like a sofa. A warm arm touched my elbow, so I knew someone else was here, too.

"They're all out looking for the leeches. Brady and I are here, guarding the imprints, and I just sent Collin out to make sure Embry gets here. You can head out and do a perimeter run, see what the guy's are up to, and help them if they need it."

"Okay", Quil agreed, and I felt his huge hands wrap around mine. "I'm gonna go, okay baby? I'll be back before you know it. Jake and Brady here will protect you. Just trust me, okay? Can you do that, for me?" Quil sounded so sad, and if I didn't know better, I'd bet money that he was crying right now.

I was scared. I was scared out of my mind, and I didn't want Quil to leave me. I didn't want to sit here by myself and wonder what could possibly be going on outside in that forest. I didn't want to let Quil go fight those bloodsucking monsters.

But I wouldn't say that. I would be strong. For Quil.

"Yes", I whispered back, trying to keep the burning sensation from my throat. I couldn't cry right now, I needed to be strong for Quil.

"I love you, so much", Quil mumbled, kissing my forehead. I could feel the desperation in the kiss, in how he held his lips to my forehead for a few seconds after the kiss, like he was memorizing me.

"I love you, too", I mumbled back, feeling the warmness disappear as his lips left my forehead and his hands left my hands. I saw the dim figure of his form leave through the door, the door shutting right after him, leaving me unsure if he'd ever come back.

Oooooh, drama! Finally, some action inbetween all this fluffy stuff. Review, pweez, so I have more motivation to update sooner! :)