Chapter 24: Time's up!

Disclaimer: The characters and basically the story are Stephenie Meyer's just tweaked for my crazy mind. Plus my loving mind that is screaming for reviews but not to stop writing! ;p ;) ;p

~(~)~ ~(~)~ ~(~)~ Merana's point of view

"My Angel I think we should go rescue Bella." Jared whispered in my ear before twisting me at arm's length to show me that Bella was being hounded; and not by just anyone but by Edward, Sam, Jake, and even Paul. Snickering as Jared yanked me back to his chest I looked up into his eyes and sighed in defeat. "Oh My Angel we have eternity to be just us. Right now your friend and all those gathered have been patient enough."

Twirling in his arms I relaxed against him while at the same time swaying to the beat of Follow Me by Uncle Kracker and watching everyone around us. Jared was right as always but would I ever tell him no, no… yes… maybe. Smiling I spun away from Jared but never stopped dancing till I ran into someone. That someone was Paul.

"Oh I am so sorry. I need to watch where I am going." I squealed while at the same time maneuvering myself into the seat next to Bella. "So having fun?"

"Yes I am but I have questions, are you free?" Bella asked and with that the guys quieted down, let alone everyone else around started moving closer.

"Yes I am." I stated simply. Then winking to Jared who very easily slipped away to fix us some plates of food and drinks, I settled back to answer all questions that were undoubtedly going to be asked.

"So first can you explain more about that prophecy and whoever Cronus is?!" Bella half asked half stated. It was more like she was asking me to clarify for everyone else then really telling her.

Except Sam jumped and shouted, "No before she starts with that she has to explain herself. Starting with what happen in the clearing. Who was…" pausing to think of her name, I spoke for him.

"Lucinda was a friend, mother, servant, confidant, comrade… there is no easy way to describe what Lucinda was…" every word I spoke brought up memories and so many emotions. How can I even relay that to any of them?

"Lucinda was family. Plan and simple!" Jared stated as he appeared behind Sam, which made him jump. "Lucinda started as a lady in waiting to Ma's mom but ended up being Ma's mom when she needed her."

"Then explain how could she just kill her like that? No hindrance or hesitant?" Sam roared as he stared up at Jared, for Jared was a good head taller then him.

Jared just started laughing. I on the hand just huffed and turned in my seat so that I was looking into the trees.

"To even think that was easy for her is a riot." Jared snarled while glaring down at Sam, like he wasn't just laughing like a hyena a minute ago. "For the past 50 years I have been trying everything so that Merana didn't have to do that. And before that I hounded her every day for 15 years just to end her and Lucinda's misery. But it just wasn't that simple."

"Sam shut up!" now this very simple statement had everyone looking at Bella. Me I was just shocked, she really has a back bone and she has no problem getting in someone's face no matter whom or what they are. Remembered me a lot of me, I think!

"Bella it's ok…"

She didn't even give me a chance she was up and yelling, "No Sam needs to understand that there's more going on then what he knows. Plus he saw how distraught you were and that it was you that lost someone today not him!"

Sam seemed to lose some of his anger but waited till I turned to him to say anything. "Yes well the thing is you toke a life on our land. By law you should be dead."

At that everything changed, and I mean everything. Jared had Sam in the air by his neck, the few elders that were here were rushing over. Carlisle and the rest of the Cullens were surrounding me and even Paul was standing before me. Chef and his people were moving to the side so to keep out of the way and everyone else was just rooted to where they were. I on the other hand just waited till everyone stopped moving then leapt into the air and landed right next to Jared.

"He said I should be and has already decided that I will live. Though in truth there is nothing he or his pack could do. I'm stronger and more valueable then the lot." I said while stroking Jared's face. Calming at my touch Jared dropped Sam and gathered me in his arms.

"Just the thought of losing you again brings up that image of you dead in my arms." Jared whispered as he buried his head in my hair.

"You died? When?" Carlisle demanded but didn't move, more like collapsed to the ground as he asborded what Jared had said.

Everything was up in the air, questions from everywhere and people wondering a lot. So raising my hand and looking to Jasper, who thankfully sent out a calming sensation for everyone, I turned to tell the story of Jared of I.

~~~ ~~~ ~~~History of Merana and Jared

Back before written history there was a war, a nasty war between Surgots (the orginal shapeshifters) and Crystilians (the orginal magic weavers) and humans were caught in the middle. The rulling families on each side had great lost and pain but niether saw a way to end the war. Till a young womanby the name of Amosal came to power in the Crystilians Empire and an ideal of both. A simple but foolish ideal where both great cultures just dissolve into the human race and disappear from sight thus ending the war.

Well the ruler of the Surgots, Cronus, agreed for at the time his wife was deathly ill and he needed help, like the help of a certain Crystilian healer. So both rulers emptined thier kingdoms and made a pact to never return. The people accepted it and peace seemed to be at hand for centuries till Amosal's oldest, Issac sought power. Then it began again, only instead of it being between the Surgots and Crystilians, it was between family memebers. For not only did Issac seek power but the love of his brother's wife and that of one of his two small children.

This is where Merana first learned lost and the pain of war. For she watched as her mother and brother were murdered all because her uncle was denied what he wanted. It was later when her father, Davien found her near death did vampires first came about. Cause in truth Merana was the first and the very reason they were created.

Placing his young daughter in a state of living but constantly dieing state, he found that a simple touch of her skin would drain someone/anyone of their life essence but only maintain her for another day or so before she craved more. So working tireless for years, Davien tried everything from warping innocent humans, to combining creatures of all life together to find something that could sustain his daughter and survive.

During the entire time Davien unknowly leaned on his big brother for help through the hardship and grief of losing his family. Only when it came to light that it was his brother, Issac who was at fault did Davien really come to terms. For it seemed the answer to creating the perfect immortal was not whom you used but who the creator was. Because as luck would have it, it was Merana who created the first real cold one or Democula as they would later be called, who just happened to be her oldest friend and ex-lover Crispin, and also her uncle's undoing.

It was during this time did Cronus show up with his sons, one being a young Jared, in toe and offer a hand in undoing what was done. Only those that had been successful made into vampires or Democulas didn't want to be turned back or fixed. So life become much harder cause Davien not only had to release his daughter from her never ending life and hunt the things he created down, put he had his brother to be wary of.

The only thing is life didn't stop for Merana. In fact because of something she had done before her father had gotten home, her and her mother and brother were reborn over and over again. Each time to a new and different life or place. Things became even more hectic when the Democulas started making versions of themselves. Only because Davien and Merana knew the secret behind their creation the ones they made were not or even close to being like them.

So after the last Democula was killed the hunt was switched to finding and containing the other versions only because of how much time had past and a certain somebody they weren't destroyed only laws were passed and a the volturi was created to oversee that the laws were abide by.

Now during this time a very powerful seer was discovered and brought before Lord Davien. Cause it was said she knew of how to find his beloved daughter, Merana. In truth she had a vision of a future where she would be killed and all of this destruction and death would stop. But only if Merana accepted her fate and took on the fight. The thing though that Davien heard was that his beloved daughter had to die. So learning that it all started with a child of mixed blood he band of any mixed relationships, plus if any child is found to have parents of either race; shape shifters, vampires, witches, or demons, the child and the parents were to be killed, publicly. So throughout the years, many children have been found and killed all because Davien could not face that one day his daughter would truly and ultimately be dead.

Then came the fact that while Surgots did disappear, a new breed of shape shifters emerged to take their place but only low on the totem pole, as sharpshooters were looked down upon. Thus a hierchy or totem pole was creative. Where if you were an original Crystalians or could trace your heritage to one you were of high standing, but Surgots no they were but all forgotten. Then came vampires, witches, enigmas, shape shifters, and finally demons were last because they were saw as mixed and not truly a true breed. It all came from what Issac and Davien had done when Democulas first walked the earth.

So life went on and many times, thousands upon thousands of times, Merana had be found throughout time only to be ripped from Davien's, Crispin's, or Jared's hands. Thus through the decades Merana learned a lot and gained a lot, just not who or what she truly was. For in the foreground of all this lied an even bigger secret. Unavi, the first ruler and protected of all life. From her came all sorts of creatures that were thought of only in legends or fairytales, like dragons or phoenixes for example. Thus when Merana stumbled upon her temple and first discovered her dagegish did Merana learn that the war was a piece to a bigger picture. One that she had to fight or all would perish, plus if all went according to plan then Merana would not truly perish only become what she was truly meant to be. As to what that was no one knew not even Merana.

Jared on the other hand had a very less and adventurous ride that is until he ran into Merana. Then there was nothing but chaos and happiness to be had. Now Jared didn't know or remember any of his lives before, only that he had to help and love Merana. Not an easy task when everyone around you was supernatural or older but looked your age. Then again he remembered only after he discovered his own bloodline. Which also came with abilities and responsibilities that he never of or that even existed, like ruling over a secret race of beings or combining them with the new empire.

Now comes the part that Merana hated most of all. The part where because of her heritage and her bloodline only those of worth or have proven their worth could marry or stand by her. Those that were born to her world and had strong ties to the throne; that came from strong pure families that had stood by her father through the countless centuries that he fought and waged in the background of history. The stuck up snobs who thought a woman's place was to be seen not heard.

So having enough Merana started her own compaign on finding the truth and in the process that meant creating her own group, which she dubbed 'The Bloods'. A group of people who had no problem taking on challenges or staying in the shadows while someone else got the credit for their hard work, mostly the SAG's (the Strength of the Armed Guard of the Hawkyn Empire) or another elicted official that needed the publicity. The only thing none of them knew was that one of the goals was finding the indivuals/families that broke the law because of love and hiding them. Well until three months ago when it was discovered and a gathering was abushed where Merana, Jared, and several key memebers were caught. Merana have complete knowledge played the idiots into killing her and those starting her ascension into becoming a dragon.

But none of that mattered to Merana for in fact she had a plan to erase and reconstruction the entire empire into a new one, once she found her brother, Zancaius.

~"~ ~"~ ~"~ Bella's Pov

"Ok that's enough" Jared bellowed and suddenly he was chasing Merana already the clearing. He finally caught her at the edge of the cliff. It really looked romantic with the sitting sun behind them and Jared holding her from behind as he turned her head to him. It wasn't cheesy like in a western movie but then again it was cute like in a chick-flick movie.

"So that should answer your questions or give you some ideal but I don't care..." pausing as Merana had slapped him and whispered something in her ear which had her gasping. "Yeah bye!" At that he leaped backward, Merana squealing and Jared laughing.

I ran to the cliff but by the time I got there, there was a crowd but luckily I had Edward. He got me to the edge and I just laughed as I saw them.

They were in the water some ways out splashing and goofing off. Suddenly Jared disappeared under the water and only his clothes surfaced. Which Merana just collected then looking up to us she waved. Only I was being frantic in pointing cause I could see something coming up behind her. She just continued to smile and wave right up to it, a great white, surfaced right below her. Then she was laughing as she held tight onto its fins as it swimmed away.

"Edward was that Jared?" I asked not believing what I saw or how calm she was.

"Yes it was and that's not the only form he can take." Zander said as he drifted past us.

Turning around I just stared at him. "Jared can take on many forms?!" I asked asked but more or less stated.

"That's what it means meaning the prince of shape shifters." Zander answered then scoping up Diana he winked at me then turned to Carlisle. "Carlisle I thank you for your hospitality but I have made arrangements in town for us so we will see you in the morning." Then just like that he was gone to.

"Lalan, you dumb ass, come on!" Kalia stated as she grabbed his arm and began dragging him.

"But I was having fun…" he started to whine but stopped when Kalia rounded on him.

"Why do I get stuck with the psycho whiner and Diana gets Mr. Charming?" Kalia yelled then stalked off with Lalan grumbling behind her as they two left.

"Well Carlisle seeing as the guests have left and we finished talking earlier, I am going to take my leave." One of the elders said walking up and seeing that Sam was with them, I took it that the party was over.

"So does this mean we are working together?" I asked not looking to anyone in particular.

"Yes it does Bella and we should get going to." Carlisle answered looking to me.

"Your not going to hunt Jared down tonight, are you?" I asked looking him die in eye, being as we both knew why they had taken off.

"No Bella, I just wasn't too happy earlier when I thought Merana was throwing everything away for some guy." He answered and it seemed that everyone was happy to hear him say that. Yes, give it Merana and Carlisla have history, a student-mentor one, it was still weird to see him get mad and act the way he did.

"Yes well give what we all learned tonight I don't blame you for being anger with the girl." Mr. Black said rolling forward. I still don't see how he could have gotten up here or how he got around even at the bonfire a week or so ago. "Though it does seem that fellow makes her happy and being a father to a young lady that's how I hope she feels when she meets the man of her dreams."

I wanted to stay and talk some more but Edward had other ideals and I found myself on his back as he ran through the woods to his house. It seems I was once again spending the night. How lovely as I thought of that bed in his room.

Ok I did not stop working on this but my inspiration/train of thought/well to write this died. I started another story and suddenly my drive/inspiration for this story has returned and now I know what to write. So all those loyal and patient readers thank you and I hope you are still enjoying this plus look out for my new story 'She's another hunter or so they thought. So I hope this chapter answers some questions and sorry it has been slow building but that's because I just wasn't sure how to go about it. Plus I know there are more questions but since you don't review I don't know them so I am trying my best. Review and let me know what you think. ~~ Mary Mab