Disclaimer: The Twilight Saga is owned by Stephanie Meyer. I don't happen to be her; therefore, I cannot possibly own it.

Rating: Rated 'T' for 'Teen'. May change later.

Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Family, Fluff, Friendship, First Time, General, High School, Horror, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Supernatural, Vampires

Warnings: Adult Content, Blood, Discriminatory Language, Violence

Pairings: Jasper/Bella, Emmett/Rosalie, Carlisle/Esme, Peter/Charlotte

Summary: Your typical story. Boy meets girl. They fall in love. A baby is quickly made. What happens when the boy's a vampire? What happens when said vampire is killed before the baby's born? Renée doesn't know what's going to happen to her baby, but Nahuel promises to keep it safe from his father. Jasper/ Bella


Author's Notes: Sorry for the long wait.


16. Clan

Bella's P. O. V.


I growled at her, daring her to approach me as I stood. Nine days of bed-rest was long enough. Two days ago I had been at one hundred percent, minus the serious need to feed. I felt like I have gone insane from hunger ever since having thrown up all that venom. And, jeez, I needed a good run! Something to stretch my muscles.

Forever would I be thankful to my parents for delivering all those warnings to the Denalis. If my father hadn't told Garrett to warn Peter about Jasper, I would've lost my mate before I even really had him. I might not have him right now, but I knew I would in time. I needed to get my life in order, get my mess sorted out, before got a hankering for getting into his.

"Should you not be laying down?" Sure Kachiri, send in Zafrina to defend Senna against my wrath.

I growled at her as well. "No, I'm fine. I've rested enough. If you're so worried, go get me something to eat. A couple somethin's. I feel like I'm starving."

Instantly, the two of them raced out of the room to find me some food. Hopefully it would be a couple of predators. There was a part of my mind honed in on them, seeing what they'd be getting me. Seems they were having a little competition to find the biggest warm blooded animal for me to feed on.

While they were having their little pissing contest, I sought out the eldest Amazon Sister. She was sitting on the edge of the railing, holding still like vampires were so fond of. There were occasions when I caught different members of my family in the same position I left them in. As soon as I sat down, she turned to me with a somber expression. It wasn't something uncommon on her face. "I no longer lead my sisters."

"I know."

She sighed, seeming to be at ease with this revelation. "You command your clan very well."

I went to answer her, but got stuck on a word she used. "Clan?"

"Yes." There was a nod in response before she explained herself. "Emmett and Rosalie are their own coven. Nahuel and Huilen are their own coven. My sisters and I are our own coven. However, you lead us all, these different sectors, as one unit. We are your clan members and you lead us."

It made more sense than what I had been thinking of our abnormal group. "Thank you." She'd be much easier to give my bite to than Nahuel had been. She'd welcome it. I wasn't sure why it was so different with her, perhaps her old age was part of it. "You'll still lead your sisters, but it will be when I am away. I'll watch over you, warn you if an enemy is coming. I expect nothing of you except that you listen to me. I merely want to protect you, to love you, like I do my family."

She nodded, smiling at me. "We desire to honor you. We long to follow you as a shadow does."

"You are my family, my clan mates." That would take some getting used to with saying it. "If you feel pain, I wish to take it on my own self. Whatever your desires are, I want provide you with them. You are all pails full of diamonds and pearls that I'll guard until the end of my existence. Everyone within my clan is. I cannot take orders from another and I don't want to order you either, but I do expect a certain obedience that comes from being your leader.

"I'll never lead you to your death or the deaths of your sisters. Losing them would be like cutting off my limbs and burning them. I know how you three are with me. You walk close to me so that I don't fall and break. If I'm hungry or thirsty, you want to hunt me something to eat so that I don't have to exhaust myself doing it, but you don't because you know I have to do it so that I don't start getting sick.

"You worry too much about me and get frustrated when I do something you feel is too dangerous for my human side." She turned away, embarrassed that I had seen that side of her. "You're all like that. Every single person in my clan." Did I radiate some energy that had people trying to protect and provide for me?

We sat there, listening to the crickets chirp and my heartbeat drum. Once in a while, she'd crack a dry humor joke about the humans she fed on, resulting in a giggle from me. Occasionally, I'd point out that whichever section of vegetation that needed pruning and receiving a vision of the sisters working on that later. I'd always sigh, knowing they'd still do it even if I complained.

"Will you mark us?"

"Hm?"

"Will you mark us? You have bitten the rest of your clan. Will you do the same to us?" If it weren't for the pleading face she sported, I might've made some kind of tasteless remark about a group of vampires being a 'murder', not a 'coven' or 'clan'.

"Most likely. There hasn't been reason to lately. I haven't foreseen any danger for you to come across as I did with Nahuel and Huilen. You haven't been in a life threatening situation since I've known you like my parents were in the late fifties. It'll happen, but I won't do it until I feel the need. I won't be purposefully causing any of you pain."

We went back to our comfortable silence with me swinging my legs childishly over the edge of the porch. Not six minutes went by before she inquired about something else.

"Do you have a crest? I know that the Cullens do. A few other, older, covens do as well."

This was something I had been contemplating for quite some time. "Not currently. I've got some designs, but nothing's been set as of yet. My father said that he'd have his scarred into him. I'm hoping that he was joking because I don't think I could do something like that to him."

She appeared speculative for a long moment. "I could. I would have to practice on others first and I would have to collect a vampire's jaw, but it is a probability that either I or my sisters could." I had no doubt about that. I also knew the perfect people for her to practice on.

But first, I'd have to inform the Denalis that Maria had changed her mind. She'd be changing her approach in how to destroy the Major's supposed mate. Unluckily for The Mexican Goddess of the Vampires, Jasper's mate would strike first.


November 1994


It was time. They were coming. Soon at that. My family was ready. We had been preparing ever since the two sisters came back from their little competition; Senna had won, and I got new shoes. Snake skin with rabbit fur lining the insides. That had been the most disgusting meal of my life. Worse than mushy green beans. But, Zafrina's giant reptile had been outdone by Senna's small bear. Apparently a circus had been traveling along on a road and a few animals had escaped. It was how I had found that gorgeous kitty and Senna found the bear. The snake had been a natural predator in this neck of South America.

She had learned that I didn't do any cold blooded creature other than alligators and crocodiles. It was unnatural for vampires to go after anything that wasn't warm blooded, but it had been the biggest creature she could find. Maybe she'll find me a python before I leave. I could most likely get a designer to make me some heels. Or some rattlesnake cowboy boots. I would happily sport those everyday for the next decade. Mama might have some problems with that though; she was always trying to get me to stop ignoring fashion.

Their preparations mostly consisted of refining their fighting skills, while mine dealt with getting my illusions up to snuff. They had to be as close to faultless as I could get, as others would be viewing them. Over the past two years, I had worked and worked, trying to at least perfect a couple of illusions. One was being completely healthy without anyone knowing what I was trying to achieve; the other was being a vampire. I would create this appearance of my pale skin being without the blush on my cheeks from my human half, the black of hunger in my eyes instead of the chocolate brown I sported due to genetics, and the silence of an non-beating heart even though my parents were so prideful of the working one I have. Typically, I would stick to the shadows, it not being uncommon for vampires to avoid sunlight, so that I wouldn't have to add in the shining sparkles as well.

The sisters had mentioned that had they not known I wasn't a vampire, they would never have known any different than what I constantly projected. Once I got a hold of how to properly delude the others around me in what they were seeing, doing this with other visions for them to see became as easy as breathing at a much quicker pace. And, with more practice, it would be entirely effortless. Right now, we were running out of time for practice.

My father was restless and paced along the south edge of our clan line-up. Seeing his agitation wasn't the most calming of actions and my nerves were already shot to Hell and back from the past two months of constant questions about today.

Today being Joham's and Serena's arrival.

They would have to die today, much to Nahuel's disappointment. He didn't desire his sister's death, but he knew she was far too faithful to their father to continue existing any other way. Fortunately for him, I wouldn't as him to put the girl out of her misery; I'd be doing that myself. The art of killing, I would be performing that on my own. I wouldn't ask my family to take a life, especially not like this. My mother and Huilen were lovers, not fighters.

"Are they any closer?" my mother asked.

"No." I let the word travel, not actually speaking it, through an illusion. My hiding place was in a tree behind their arrival spot. They would never know I was here. Making myself disappear was another fantasy I had achieved. However, it was much more difficult to hide another person, especially if they moved around.

Suddenly, there were two new sparks underneath my mental shield. One much more vivacious than the other; however, both of their personality traits and emotions were along the greedy and manipulative lines. Just what were they up to? It took me a moment to realize just who these people were. Duh Bella, the people we've been waiting on for more than four hours.

"They're here." It was like a whisper, quiet and picked up through an echo in the wind. Automatically, Daddy quit his pacing and took the lead with my mother by his side. Unlike meeting the Amazon Sisters, I wouldn't be joining my parents head on.

'Why not? You could defeat them with ease. Take them down before they come here.' No, it would be cruel to Nahuel not to allow him to bid his sister goodbye. 'And it isn't crueler to force him to watch you kill his eldest sibling?' I'll blind him. Him watching was never an option on the table. 'He'll resent you in the years to come. You're killing his family.' So be it. If losing his love is the result of keeping him safe, then I would still take this risk.

My father was almost bouncing on the balls of his feet, itching for a battle. After me, he had the first claim in taking another's head. Typically, that energy would be endearing. Right now, it was the opposite. If anything, they'd all just get in the way. 'Which is why you should get it over with now.' Shut up Peter's gift.

Once they were in my line of sight, I ensured that they didn't know I was here, perched in my tree. Joham would be surprised to see me. Hell, he'd be surprised to see these additional vampires. It was always Huilen and Nahuel, both too wary to allow others in their duo. Well, he was in for a big surprise.


Ending Author's Notes: Sorry for the long wait, but as you know, I have a limited access to internet. This is no longer. I now have regular access as I have moved to a new location; however, my updates won't be reliable as I have a new work schedule with many more hours than I used to have. My chapters will be sporadic, but I will try to work on my stories when I can. Thank you.

I at least have a couple chapters hand written out, and I merely have to type them up. Even though they are technically complete, I'll be editing them as I type them, which will take much longer as I try to add more detail into what I type than what I write.

I have an in-depth plan for exactly what I want to happen for my chapters up to Chapter 20. Hopefully, you'll like what's to come.


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