Chapter 6: The Chase

1936 Forks, Washington

The full moon illuminated the night sky as Carlisle sank his teeth into the deer's neck. As the blood began to flow, he drank contentedly, feeling a sense of relaxation wash over him with each mouthful. His family had only just moved to Forks a week ago, and this hunting trip marked their first outing in the lush forests surrounding them. Already, he could sense that this quiet little community would be the perfect fit for them, and he eagerly anticipated spending the next decade or so living in such an idyllic location.

The constant cloud cover was tailor-made for vampires, and what's even better, the town was in need of a local doctor, as residents currently had to travel to Port Angeles for their medical needs. Esme had already begun designing plans for a beautiful home nestled in the forest. Carlisle had watched her the previous night, creating drawing after drawing, and he was impressed by her skill and innate understanding of what would be needed to build their dream house. He couldn't help but smile as he remembered the joy Esme found in her planning. With Emmett having recently passed out of his newborn year, Carlisle suspected that he and Rosalie would take it easy while living in Forks and simply enjoy their newly married status.

As the deer's blood dwindled to a trickle, Carlisle gave one final suck, keenly aware that it was fully drained. Gently, he laid the deer down on the ground, preparing to bury it, when a panicked scream pierced the air. Startled, his head shot up, recognizing the scream as Esme's. He took off sprinting towards the direction of her scream. As he drew closer, the sounds of destruction filled the air, as if the forest itself was being torn asunder. Bursting through the tree cover into a small clearing, he found Esme grappling with... oh God, what was that thing? It was huge, resembling a wolf, but it was even larger than a horse. Its ferocious jaws were snapping perilously close to Esme's head as she desperately tried to hold it off.

Carlisle, fueled by anger, growled loudly and charged towards the giant beast, bashing into its side. His impact sent it flying into a tree, which cracked in half and toppled over from the force. Despite the collision, the beast quickly regained its footing, unfazed, and within seconds was charging once again towards Esme. Determined to protect his wife, Carlisle leaped between them. However, as he reached out to grasp the creature, it proved quicker, sinking its massive fangs into his left arm with brutal force.

As the beast's jaws clamped down tightly onto his arm, Carlisle felt a surge of searing pain. The creature shook its massive head, lifting him up into the air and swinging him about as if he weighed nothing. Carlisle's scream echoed through the clearing, raw and primal. The horrid sound of rending metal filled the air as the beast finally bit through, tearing his arm away from his body. Carlisle fell to the ground, in unbelievable agony.

The beast stepped back, swinging its head to the side in a gesture of disgust, releasing its grisly prize. Carlisle winced as he watched his severed arm sail across the clearing, striking a tree with a sickening thud. The torn appendage landed on the ground, its fingers still twitching grotesquely.

"Carlisle!" Esme's scream pierced the chaos as she lunged at the beast, her fist connecting with its snout with a forceful blow. The creature staggered back, momentarily stunned by the unexpected attack. Esme positioned herself protectively in front of her husband, shielding him, where his mangled shoulder leaked venom profusely from the gaping wound.

The pain was the most excruciating Carlisle had ever felt, having never lost a limb before. Shaking his head, he forced himself to focus, standing up quickly. He knew he had to work with Esme— their lives depended on it. Moving to stand beside her, he prepared for them to confront the beast together. As they faced the creature, which looked poised for another attack, the charging steps of two more individuals reached his ears. Carlisle smiled, recognizing it must be Rosalie and Emmett. They had to have heard the commotion and screams. Right on cue, Emmett barreled into the clearing screaming his own ferocious roar, closely followed by Rosalie. Taking positions on either side of Carlisle and Esme, they formed a united front against the creature. Now four against one, the Cullens stood their ground, assessing the growling menace before them. Emmett, fresh from his newborn period, seemed particularly incensed, poised to charge. However, Carlisle's acute hearing picked up more sounds, resembling a stampede and it was coming from behind the snarling beast.

Carlisle scrutinized the beast, and seeing it hold its position, he sensed its intelligence, knowing it must be aware of more of its kind approaching. Were they werewolves? He had heard talk of werewolves when he had lived in Volterra, but he had believed they were more half-man/half-beast monstrosities. Whatever these things were, they were something else entirely. Glancing at his family, he didn't know if they would prevail, and even if they did, the cost might be too great. "Emmett," he commanded firmly. "Stand down. Rose, grab my arm. We don't need to have this fight. We head north." With a decisive nod, he saw Rose speed over, grabbing his arm, and they all made a dash, heading straight northward toward the Puget Sound.

As they sprinted, Carlisle risked a glance behind him and witnessed the massive beast in hot pursuit, closing the gap with alarming speed. What manner of creature could outpace a vampire? "Faster! It's gaining on us!" he urged, his voice taut with urgency. As they hastened their pace, he struck a towering tree with his good arm, sending it crashing down in their wake. Yet, the beast emitted a thunderous roar and plowed right through the obstacle, destroying the giant pine as if it were nothing.

Carlisle knew they were still several miles away from the shore, and he prayed they could get there in time. Once they reached it though, they should be able to swim faster than these creatures. After all, the human body had to be much more maneuverable in the water than that of a wolf-shaped animal. Just as he dared to hope they would make it, Rose's piercing scream shattered the air. Turning his head quickly to his right, he saw a second giant beast fly out from the side, hurtling towards her with its gaping jaws aimed directly at her head.

Fortunately, Emmett was there to intercept it, slamming into the beast just before tragedy could strike. They tumbled together, end over end, until Emmett delivered a powerful punch to the beast's head. Rising swiftly, Emmett resumed his stride without missing a beat, and continued toward the water.

With Carlisle's gaze fixed on the looming cliff face ahead, the Cullens sprinted through the forest, driving ever closer to the edge overlooking the vast expanse of water. With one final glance behind, he saw not one but three colossal wolves thundering after them, closing the gap with relentless speed. Despite their pursuit, Carlisle could tell the wolves wouldn't catch up to them in time before they flew over the cliff's edge to plummet into the sea.

"Jump when we reach the cliff!" he bellowed to his family over the pounding of their footsteps and the stampede behind them. "They won't match our speed once we're in the water!"

As the Cullens approached the towering cliff ledge overlooking the sound, they leaped into the abyss, suspended momentarily as if defying gravity itself. Then, the inevitable pull of gravity took over, and they plummeted hundreds of feet downward. With seamless grace, they plunged into the water below, their bodies slicing through the surface with precision. Emerging from beneath the surface, they immediately began swimming northward, their powerful strokes propelling them towards Vancouver.

Ephraim Black pursued the four fleeing vampires. Just a short time ago, he had become enraged when he caught the putrid scent of a leech on the tribe's land. Rushing to confront it, he immediately alerted Quil and Levi of the imminent danger. After tearing the arm off another leech, more had arrived, but they quickly fled like the cowards they were.

As he pursued them, he heard Levi and Quil approaching rapidly from the west. Levi nearly took out one of the females before the largest one intercepted him. Though momentarily dazed, Levi quickly recovered and caught up with him and Quil as they increased their pace. They couldn't afford to let the leeches escape; protecting the tribe was paramount. It became evident to him that the leeches intended to flee into the sound, and he realized they would be unable to catch them if they succeeded.

Speaking to Levi and Quil through the link, Ephraim yelled, "Faster! They can't be allowed to escape!" They pushed themselves to their limits, yet still remained 20 yards behind as they watched the leeches leap, soaring out over the cliff's edge before plummeting hundreds of feet into the water below. Ephraim knew it was over.

"Hold," he commanded. "If they ever dare to return, we will annihilate them. They were hardly a match for me alone, and when we unite as a pack, they will stand no chance. They will be utterly destroyed."

As he reached the cliff's edge, Ephraim climbed onto a large boulder and let out a resounding howl into the night sky. Levi and Quil joined him in the primal chorus as they watched the leeches swim away in terror. This night, the Quileute tribe had emerged victorious.

Two weeks later, the Cullens had regrouped after their hasty retreat from Forks. They traveled north to Denali, seeking refuge with one of Carlisle's closest friends, who lived in the pristine Alaskan wilderness with his wife and three other vegetarian vampires. Happily, they welcomed Carlisle and his family with open arms. Carlisle's arm was back where it belonged and fully healed, providing some solace, but he still wondered what had really happened back in Forks. Those beasts were clearly more than just wolves, but he had no way to communicate with them, if such a thing was even possible.

At times like this, Carlisle missed Edward deeply and wished he had some word of his missing friend. Edward might have been able to communicate with the beasts if they were indeed some sort of werewolf with human intelligence, as he suspected. Truthfully, he would just be happy to know that Edward was okay and unharmed, but he hadn't heard from him in more than seven years. The last word he had received from Edward was in 1928, in a letter where Edward conveyed to him and Esme that he was doing well and living in Chicago. But that had been the last communication they had received.

On the way to Denali, the Cullens had reluctantly determined they needed to reassess where they would live next. Although Forks had been perfect, it was clear they were unwelcome there, and it would not be safe to return. After arriving in Denali, Eleazar suggested they build a house in the Denali mountains. Both Esme and Rosalie thought it was a wonderful idea, while Emmett, always the rambunctious one, wanted to go back and teach those wolves a thing or two.

Trying to explain to him how instigating a fight was not the best course of action, Carlisle finally got Emmett to have second thoughts when he realized he would be putting Rosalie's life in danger just to satisfy his own thirst for battle. Carlisle worked to instill in Emmett that the world was big enough for everyone to live peacefully and that conflict was not how civilized people resolved their issues. He was sure that if they stayed clear of that small corner of the world, all would be fine, and that was really a small price to pay for peace and security.

Carlisle's thoughts returned to Edward. He longed to receive any form of news, even if it wasn't what he wanted to hear. With each passing year without any contact, he was fearing more and more that something terrible had happened to Edward, and he might have lost his life. He hated entertaining such thoughts, but Edward, even if he didn't want to adhere to their diet, wasn't the type to just disappear. Carlisle had even begun debating whether he should contact the Volturi for help. If he asked Aro, maybe Demetri could locate Edward.

Demetri had met Edward briefly a few years before Esme joined the family. Reflecting on that chance encounter, Carlisle vividly remembered Demetri's animosity toward his lost friend when Edward had spoken out against something he had gleaned from Demetri's thoughts. Carlisle had been forced to quickly pull Edward aside and rebuke him in front of Demetri to prevent anything worse from happening. He knew all too well Demetri's temper, having witnessed it in action for decades during his stay in Volterra.

But should he call Aro to ask for this favor? Carlisle had tried to forget all about his time in Volterra. He had witnessed so many cruelties there that it still chilled him to the bone, and he felt fortunate to have escaped that place alive. He was no fool; he knew it was only because Aro considered him a friend that he had been able to leave. Especially after Caius... No, even as friends, Carlisle didn't fully trust Aro anymore. He had heard too many stories from other vampires to dismiss the Volturi's misdeeds as isolated incidents.

Carlisle descended the wide staircase into the living room, where Eleazar sat on a sofa, quietly observing Carmen and Esme engrossed in a game of Backgammon. Joining his friend, Carlisle glanced over the board, noting that the game had only just commenced. As he continued to ponder his current dilemma, he wondered if Eleazar, with his past as a member of the Volturi, could offer his counsel.

"Eli, I'm considering reaching out to Aro to see if he could assist in locating Edward. My hope is fading, and I know Demetri would be able to find him easily if he's still out there. What are your thoughts or advice on the matter?" Carlisle turned to his friend, but instead of reassurance, he was met with a solemn frown.

"I'm not sure if that's a good idea, my friend," Eleazar said, his brow furrowing in thought. "Favors requested from the Volturi come at a price, and that price might be more than you're willing to pay. I got to know Edward pretty well that one time he visited with you, and I don't think he's the type to just disappear on you like this. I fear he may have been destroyed, Carlisle. It's best to hold dear the good memories you had of him and not attempt to ingratiate yourself with our leaders once again."

"He's right, Carlisle." Carlisle turned his head to see Kate entering, followed by Tanya, Irina, and Rosalie. Kate continued, her voice tinged with solemnity, "We witnessed the true nature of the Volturi, and it's a lesson my sisters and I will never forget."

Rosalie, who had not heard their story before, asked, "What did they do to you?"

Carlisle let out a heavy sigh, steeling himself for the retelling of the tragedy that befell their mother. He noticed Esme looking up from her game, as she, too, had not heard the tale before.

Irina's voice carried only anger and hatred as she spoke up, her words cutting through the air with a fierce intensity. "Centuries ago, long before even Carlisle was born, we dwelled in what the world now calls Russia, living in peace alongside our mother Sasha. But then, the Volturi came," she continued, her tone growing sharper with each word. "Caius was leading a merciless crusade to eradicate all the remaining werewolves from this world."

Rosalie was about to speak up when Tanya stopped her. "We know what you're going to say, Rose, but what attacked you weren't true werewolves. We've seen real werewolves long ago, and those horrid creatures were more man than dog. They should be pitied for whatever horrible curse doomed them to that fate. But Caius... he was the true beast. When he saw our mother, he became obsessed with her, wanting her for his own carnal desires. But Sasha was the strongest woman we've ever known, and she rebuffed Caius's advances. Not only was he married, but even if he hadn't been, she would never have been interested in such a brutish man."

Kate continued, her voice hardening with emotion as she picked up the story. "When our mother made her feelings clear, Caius became enraged. But when she stood firm with us by her side, he backed down, and the Volturi departed. Or so we thought."

She paused, her eyes reflecting the pain of the memory. "A week went by, and everything seemed to return to normal. My sisters and I went out to satiate our thirst." She smiled, but there was no true happiness behind it. "Back then, we were very different, and for the men we encountered, it was the best night of their lives... until it wasn't. We returned happy, only to find a nightmare awaiting us."

Kate's voice grew thicker with grief and anger. "Our home was reduced to nothing but ashes, burned to the ground. And as if that horror wasn't enough, we discovered the gruesome truth on the barn door: our mother's severed hand, impaled by a dagger bearing the unmistakable crest of the Volturi."

Both Rose and Esme gasped, hearing the sad reality that even for immortals, life is not a certainty. Rose walked over and sat next to Esme, who wrapped an arm around her, gently rubbing her back. They both sat quietly, waiting for the sisters to conclude their heartbreaking tale.

Seeing the grief in Kate's eyes as she stared down at the floor, trying to compose herself, Tanya picked up the story. "Determined to seek justice, we traveled to Volterra without delay to present our grievances."

Irina, unable to hold back her anger, spat on the ground, cutting Tanya off. "But Caius had fled back first, the coward that he was, spreading heinous lies about our mother. He claimed she had created an immortal child. We denied it vehemently, swearing on our own lives that we were telling the truth. We let Aro Volturi, our so-called 'great and just' king, read our minds to see for himself."

Irina's voice trembled with emotion. "After reading us and Caius, all Aro would say was that we knew nothing of our mother's supposed crimes and that we should be grateful to leave with our heads intact."

Tanya wrapped her arms around Irina, trying to soothe her sister as the old wounds, still raw and painful even after all these centuries, resurfaced. Irina took a deep breath, smiled weakly at Tanya, and then turned to Carlisle. "Trust us, Carlisle. You want nothing to do with those monsters. Eleazar is right. Remember Edward for the good man he was. That's all you can do for him now."

Carlisle listened to every word the three sisters shared, their painful memories resonating deeply with him. He knew they were right. Just as he had tried to impress upon Emmett, it wasn't just him anymore; he had an entire family to protect. With a heavy heart and a nod of reluctant agreement, he took the first step toward saying goodbye to his friend.

1936 Volterra, Italy

Edward lay on his cot in his darkened cell, the solitary light of a torch casting dancing shadows across the stone walls. His gaze, however, was fixed on the far corner of the ceiling, where a spider diligently spun its delicate web, each strand illuminated by his keen vision even in the dimness. In the seven years since his imprisonment, not a soul had bothered to visit him or enter his cell. He presumed Aro was content to let time wear him down, but that was fine with him. He wanted nothing to do with the Volturi.

The first year of his captivity had been the hardest. Adjusting to eating rats was difficult, to say the least, especially considering the constant craving for human blood that haunted him in those early months. But gradually, his body adapted. After all, he had done the whole animal diet routine before, and he managed to fall back into line. However, he couldn't deny that rats were particularly disgusting, even for animal blood.

After that first year of... Edward had to admit, moping, he had pulled himself out of his funk. He wouldn't allow the Volturi to break him. Thus, he began exercising his mind. Though trapped, he refused to remain idle. Currently, he was in the process of completing his third novel. With his vampire memory, he could craft the entire story in his head, and he felt confident that his first two novels were quite commendable.

In his first novel, Edward crafted a tale featuring a woman inspired by Mindy. Drawing from her admirable qualities, he imbued his character with even more depth, resilience, and tenacity. Through her journey, she defied all odds, refusing to yield to anyone's demands, and carved out a beautiful life marked by receiving a full education and having a flourishing career before finding her soulmate.

As Edward developed the story, he often saw himself as the male lead, smiling as he envisioned new adventures for his characters. Despite the tragic ends that befell the lives that inspired his creations, Edward found solace in weaving a narrative where they thrived, their spirits immortalized within the pages of his mind.

His second novel took a different turn, delving into the realm of the unexplained. It featured the same female protagonist, but this time, she encountered a man who was not entirely human. Fearing for her life, she struck a bargain with this mysterious figure. However, as events unfolded beyond her control, she began to undergo a transformation, mirroring the nature of the enigmatic man. Edward intentionally left it ambiguous whether this transformation was a blessing or a curse.

Not wanting to portray the man as a vampire, he had created his own interpretation of a being that was not entirely human. As the story progressed, the woman and the man inevitably fell in love, and the narrative concluded with the woman fulfilling her bargain, leading to their happily ever after.

For his current novel, Edward was crafting a much more personal story, basing the male character on himself—a man who had been wrongfully convicted. However, he was struggling to flesh out the female lead's story and had yet to determine how the narrative would end. Despite the writer's block, he didn't mind. Time was one thing he had in abundance. He was confident that eventually, inspiration would strike, allowing him to complete his story. Until then, he would patiently wait. He could always begin another story. He had started toying with the idea of creatures from another planet landing on Earth, but that storyline was only in its infancy. With time, he would get to it all. Edward smiled to himself, admitting that his social calendar was rather light these days.

Just then, Edward heard a fist bang against his cell door, jolting him out of his reverie. It was the notice that food was coming. They fed him every two weeks. He sat up and watched as buckets of live rats were poured into his cell, their frantic squeaking filling the air as they scurried in all directions across the stone floor. Sighing, Edward watched them patiently. He always waited until the guards had left before putting the rats out of their misery. He didn't like to put on a show for his jailers, debasing himself in front of their watchful eyes. Once he was alone, he would take care of the rats, then, when he finished, he'd just toss the carcasses out through the cell door slot for them to be collected. Thinking about it, he had to imagine the guards hated doing this just as much as he did. Working in the dungeons probably wasn't considered a highly regarded assignment for a member of the guard.

His thoughts returned to his novels. If he ever got out of this hellhole, he would work to get them published. The tales he was creating were sure to entertain countless readers. Some would be enthralled, while others would be horrified by the diverse genres his stories delved into. But first things first, he just had to get out of this cell. But really, how hard could that be? He just had to convince Aro Volturi to let him go.

Laughter bubbled from his throat as he knocked his head back against the cell wall, dislodging a sprinkle of dust onto his cot. All jokes aside, he knew the only way he would be getting out of this cage was if the vampire world rebelled and overthrew the Volturi. But he had to figure that that would be happening any day now. It's not like the Volturi had been in charge for the past three millennia... Edward shook his head, knowing that he was royally screwed.

A rat started to climb up his leg. As it curiously explored his lap, he grabbed it, causing it to squeak loudly as it tried to extricate itself from his grip. Edward heaved a sigh as he brought the rat up to his mouth and bit down.

In the next chapter, we reach September 13th, a pivotal day for Bella as she celebrates her 20th birthday. Little does she know, the hourglass symbolizing her human existence has been steadily draining, hurtling Bella toward her inevitable end. The only question is... will Bella defy the relentless march of time and greet the dawn of September 14th? Your reviews or comments are welcome.