Again, this chapter gets pretty hot and steamy, so skip it if you don't like that sort of thing.

We all have one foot in a fairytale, and the other in the abyss.

-Paulo Coelho

I had just closed the door of the guest room when I realised that I didn't know what Jacob did for a living. I mean, he had this nice house, a nice car, and I hadn't even had one normal conversation with him the whole time I'd been here. I suddenly felt so wretched and stupid, and I needed to know what he did for work.

I went to Jacob's room and pushed open the door, "Hey - I just realised I never asked you..." I stopped, frozen.

Jake was just getting into the glassless shower. I couldn't move, rooted to the spot as I looked at him in all his naked glory. Somehow, he was more beautiful than I remembered. He watched me with curiosity, obviously waiting on my next move. I quickly turned away, feeling a deep blush blooming on my cheeks. I made to leave, walking back to the door. Was it just me, or could I sense his disappointment? But when I reached the half open door my hand hesitated on the handle.

Instead of opening it, my traitorous hands pushed it shut.

I turned back around to find Jacob standing a mere step away. He'd now covered himself with a towel but his dark eyes met mine and wouldn't let go. They were turbulent, questioning and burning with desire. I was sure they were a mirror of my own.

Oh my, did I love this man.

I reached out slowly, placing a hand on his burning chest. He reached up and covered my hand with his, and then slowly pulled mine away. He looked sad. I knew I was doing the wrong thing. It wasn't fair to him. We could never resist each other, even now, when I had no right to be here. When I'd hurt him so badly, and was still to hurt him more.

"What are you doing here, Leighton?" his voice was pure gravel, and shaking slightly, like he didn't trust himself.

"I had to ask you something," I said weakly.

" - No," he cut me off, "what are you doing back in Forks with the Cullens. If this has something to do with Bella. I promise you if they break the treaty - if they do anything to her - to you..."

He drifted off.

"Jake, you have to get over this. I promise you if it happens, it will only be to save her life, because there's no other option."

"I'm another option! Whatever it is, we can protect you both without you having to die in the process."

"Nothing is going to happen to me, Jake. Stop saying that."

"You stop saying that, because I can feel it." He beat his chest, just above his heart. "I've had this terrible feeling ever since you came back. Something is coming Leighton. I don't know what it is, but it's coming, and I have a terrible feeling we're not going to survive it."

Now it was my turn to take his hand. It was so warm, tingling where we touched. We had such a connection, even still. Once again I found myself jealous of Renesme. What sort of connection could be more than the one Jacob and I had, even now.

I didn't know what to say to comfort him. I had the same feeling of dread.

"If I asked you to keep the pack out of this, would you?"

"What is it Leighton, just tell me. What have you gotten yourself into?" he growled, but he didn't push my hand away.

"I don't know, Jake. It's not something that I know for sure. I just feel like something is at work here, that has nothing to do with the Cullens."

"It always has something to do with your precious Cullens." Jacob spat, with a firm grip on my hand, he pulled me closer. "Pick me, Leighton." I was barely a whisper, spoken to the top of my head. I wasn't sure if he meant me to hear it at all.

"I promise you Jake, that someday soon, everything that I've done will make sense to you."

"So you won't tell me now," he said, his voice cold.

"I don't think you would react well with the information."

"Well, at least tell me when the Cullens will be back."

I paused, "What do you mean back?"

"Back in town. Are they coming back? That place of theirs looks pretty empty."

Of course, the spell, it hid the Cullens from supernatural creatures. I never really thought of Jacob as supernatural, but of course he was. Maybe that was for the best.

"I ah, don't know. They might be gone for a while."

"And what about you?"

The question hung between us, me looking at Jacob's chest and Jacob looking over my head. Neither of us could bare the answer.

"I'll be here a little while longer."

"But then you're leaving again." Jacob stepped away, as distant as he'd ever been.

I felt his absence instantly, without meaning to I reached for him, trying to pull him back but he stepped away from me.

I looked at my feet, suddenly embarrassed with my desperation and his rejection.

I turned to leave. As I reached for the door handle, I felt a warm hand on mine, stilling it. I could feel Jake behind me, radiating heat and strength. I turned slowly, ending with my body pressing against his, his arm now snaked around my waist. He looked down at me with those serious brown eyes, looking as torn and tormented as I'd ever seen him. I wanted to kiss him, and so I did. His lips were still against mine.

I sighed and tried again, gently coercing him, sucking his bottom lip, grazing it with my teeth. Suddenly, it was like him came to life. A growl ripped from his throat, low and guttural, but he pressed his lips to mine with surprising tenderness. The kiss left me breathless; equally satisfied and wanting more.

He lifted me and I wrapped my legs around his hips. His towel fell forgotten to the ground.

He moved us towards the bed in a fury of kisses. He laid me down carefully - his hands moving to the bottom of my t-shirt. I stopped him as he began to slowly coax it upward.

"Just rip it off," I panted.

Jacob raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. His eyes finally seemed clear and untroubled.

"Don't think that you need to be gentle." I continued.

He bent down and began to kiss a slow circle around my exposed navel. It was exhilarating and infuriating.

I pulled up his head, kissing him with all the passion coursing through my body.

"Don't be gentle." I said, more demanding then before.

He looked at me for a long moment and I saw something deeper, more primal and complicated than simple desire cross his expression.

Too soon the look was gone. He ripped my shirt and bra off in a single movement that sent a shiver of pleasure and a sting of pain down my body. My breasts were free now, and he massaged them hungrily. My nipples perked at the contact.

He moved down to my jeans, ripping them with sharp teeth and throwing them across the room. Now only my panties stood between us being completely naked together. Jacob seemed to hesitate so I pulled the things off myself when he seemed more inclined to look at them a little while longer.

When I was completely naked, I sensed that Jake was having doubts. He was looking at me how every girl wanted to be looked at, like I was the single most precious thing on the planet.

"You need to leave here Leighton. Go back to New York, never see the Cullens or me again."

There he was again, protecting me. But I was in this, always had been.

I ran my hands over his bare chest, over his hard stomach down to his twitching erection. I grabbed it with more confidence then I really felt. Jacob's breath hitched in his throat.

I kissed his collar bone as I rubbed him firmly, kissing my way down his body until I took his throbbing head in my mouth.

"Oh god," he groaned, as his fingernails raked my shoulders.

I took him deep in my mouth, running my teeth up and down his shaft. Using my tongue to lick the sensitive tip of his penis. I felt a thrill of satisfaction when my mouth flooded with the taste of his salty discharge. He was growling now, his fingers digging into my back and sending waves of pleasure over my chest. I straightened up, pushing Jacob down onto his back.

He went to speak; maybe to protest, maybe to say something else. I didn't care. I silenced him with a kiss as I straddled him. Feeling the head of his erection rub against the wet opening to my core. I bit the bottom of his lip and I bore down on him, letting him plunge deep inside of me, feeling myself stretch to accommodate his large size.

A gasp of pleasure escaped my lips as I began to roll my hips in tight circles. Jake threw his head back, closing his eyes. I kissed his neck as I quickened the movement of my hips. I could feel my orgasm building quickly as he penis rubbed against my tightness with delicious friction.

As if sensing my imminent orgasm Jacob sat up, stilling my hips with his hands.

"Not so fast," he whispered, biting at my neck and sending a new wave of pleasure to my core.

I moaned and tried to move my hips but Jake was holding me still. He took my nipple in his mouth, sending a shiver down my spine.

Suddenly, he flipped me over. Now he was on top of my, pinning me down.

"Fuck it," he whispered, thrusting deep inside of me.

I gasped holding onto his shoulders and he lifted my lower back off the bed, positioning me at the perfect angle as he continued thrusting. I could feel myself about to explode. I could feel my juices streaming down his thick shaft. I was kissing him. Kissing his neck, kissing his face, kissing his arms. I wanted to communicate everything I couldn't say, everything I knew I would never allow myself to say to him. I love you. I love you. I love you.

My orgasm came quickly and I felt like I was shattering into a million pieces as I clamped down on Jacob. The waves of pleasure lasted an eternity and I had to bite down on Jake's shoulder to stop from screaming. My orgasm sent him over the edge as my core tightened around his length and I felt his juices being pumped deep inside of me. His breathing was ragged in my ear as our bodies broke and came together again and again.

When it was over he slumped against me, barely holding his weight off me. I didn't care. I knew that soon the spell would be broken. He would go back to his role of protector and I would have to piece together my defences.

He made to get up. I tried to stop him.

"Wait, stay a little longer." And just like that the magic was gone. He got up anyway, moving to the bathroom, picking up his useless towel on the way. I'd willingly feed myself to sharks before I begged him to stay and snuggle.

Then, while Jacob was in the bathroom, probably having the same argument with himself that I was having now, I pulled on my underwear and a T-shirt that was on the ground and quickly left before I'd have the embarrassment of being asked to leave.

#

I slammed into Houghton in the hallway, knocking the wind out of me.

Of course, he could see me perfectly despite the darkness. I sensed him taking in my dishevelled appearance and my speedy exit from Jacob's room.

"Great," he sighed, easily side stepping me towards his bedroom. "Here we go again."