Chapter 56

Esme turned to Renesme instinctively and handed Caleb over to her.

"Go into one of the bedrooms," she ordered, maintaining control over her shaking voice, "Take the girls. Go."

Renesme nodded and knew there was no time for questions. She guided Cassandra and Nicole out of the room while holding onto Caleb protectively. He began to fuss and fight but she held him tightly against her. His loud cries seemed to overtake the struggle that was going on between Leah and Aaron.

Esme turned to aid Leah in her pursuit against the enemy. She knew if he got his arms around her just right that Leah could be seriously injured or worse. Leah's massive wolf body made it nearly impossible to keep up with Aaron's nimble movements around the kitchen.

The house began to look like a tornado had hit it as Leah continued to snap her jaws. Each time she lunged, he managed to get out of the way.

"Jake!" Renesme's voice called from one of the rooms, "Jacob!"

Esme stood her ground behind Leah as she tried to keep Aaron pinned by the front door.

"Come on mutt," he taunted with a smile, waving his hands.

Leah lunged again, this time leaving Aaron with enough room to slide his way around her as she did so. She angrily smashed into the front door, sending a large crack through the wood frame.

Aaron smirked at Esme, as he was now face to face with her and rushed to go by her. She grabbed him around the neck from behind and felt a rush of relief pour through her body, as she sensed she almost didn't reach him. A growl barreled in her chest and she felt her motherly instincts begin to take over.

Aaron quickly wrestled out of the hold she had on him, though he wasn't free. The two of them wrestled on the ground and found themselves locked in a type of stalemate as each of them tried to push the other in the opposite direction.

Surprise filled the man's face at Esme's seemingly impossible strength. She gritted her teeth and glared into Aaron's determined eyes. It was then that, for whatever reason, she realized the force field he'd established around them was now gone.

"Leah! Call for them. Howl! Nessy call Jacob!"

Aaron knew that he had figured out that his gift had been sidetracked from their fight. He used her communication with the others as the slight distraction he needed to maneuver himself so she was no longer locked around him.

"Jacob! Masen! Carlisle!" Renesme screamed frantically.

Aaron rolled his shoulders off of Esme's and made a bolt for the back room where Renesme kept the kids.

Leah let out a loud howl and followed where Esme was frantically clawing at Aaron's back. She turned her head for a split second to see Masen first, then Jacob and Carlisle pile in through the front door.

"Ness!" Jacob screamed, attempting not to phase.

They tailed Leah into a large, spare bedroom where everyone now stood almost frozen.

Aaron held Renesme by the neck, positioned in front of him, and had Caleb cradled in his left arm.

Esme stood furiously in front of them, ready to attack, though in a backed off state because of how he held onto them. Nicole and Cassandra were huddled together in the corner of the room and Renesme's face was filled with terror.

Leah continued to bark and growl and Jacob and Carlisle both looked equally horrified.

Masen's eyes widened at the sight of Renesme and Caleb in the man's grasp. He called for his daughter, who ran to his arms with Nicole just a step behind.

Jacob began to huff and felt his chest heave up and down.

"If you phase, she dies," Aaron said coldly, glaring in Jacob's direction.

Jacob made eye contact with Renesme who pleaded with her eyes for him to calm down. He knew the man was serious and so he found it quite easy to at least pretend he was in control of himself. Carlisle took a step forward so he was side by side with Esme.

"Don't take another step," Aaron ordered, now redirecting his attention to Carlisle.

Carlisle put his hands up and spoke calmly, "I'm not here to pick a fight with you. Why are you doing this?"

"You know the rules. I was told you're a smart man."

He shook his head, "What rules?"

"The vampire rules. You're friends with werewolves. You've chosen their wellbeing over your own kind. The immortal children..."

Carlisle took a half a step in his direction so he was slightly in front of Esme, "I believe you've been misinformed," he said in a respectful, even tone, "These are not immortal children."

Aaron snorted, "Do you think I'm an idiot, Carlisle?"

"No," he shook his head, "I can easily see the confusion. We've been in this position before, in a sense. But they aren't immortal children. They grow every single day."

"Do you think I'm an idiot?" he asked again, this time in a more ornery tone.

"Who told you they were immortal children?"

"I don't have to be told. Look at them. I can sense they aren't human."

"They aren't human," Carlisle agreed, "But they grow every day. They don't eat human blood and they never will. They don't crave it the way you do, or even how I do." He kept his hands above his head, "I can prove it to you."

Aaron looked skeptical and gave Carlisle an inquisitive look.

He reached into his pocket and removed his cell phone, taking another hesitant step in his direction.

"Stop," Aaron ordered, squeezing slightly harder on Renesme's neck. She winced and Jacob growled, bearing his chest and clenching his fists. Caleb began to cry and Esme wanted to make a dive in his direction.

Carlisle found older photos of Caleb that had been taken on his phone. He turned the screen to face the man in front of him, "Look. Look, this is Caleb over a month ago. He was far smaller and less developed."

Aaron's eyes squinted unnecessarily to see the photo, "It's too small to tell."

Carlisle sighed, "Give him back to us. You're being set up. You were sent here alone. Whoever sent you, sent you to die. You're a test, that's all."

"You're wrong," Aaron said with a confident smile, "I'm too valuable to waste."

Esme looked at Carlisle and from her worried expression, he feared that the man was being at least somewhat truthful.

"I have to do what I came here to do," he told them, "It's my initiation."

"What did you come here to do?" Carlisle asked him.

Aaron smirked without remorse, "Destroy the immortal children."