CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

RULE NUMBER TWO

"I'm talking myself out of hunting those men down," I couldn't help the wry smile that curled my mouth with the admission. "Because it wouldn't be helpful to leave you alone right now."

Contrary to my words, simply thinking about what it would be like to hunt those things down nearly convinced me to stop the car, give La the fob, and take off into the night after them. I had to remind myself that I had a higher purpose tonight - being worthy of a woman who would never do that. La would never kill someone, she was too good for that.

"Oh," she breathed but didn't offer any other thoughts on my dark confession. Her gaze returned to the buildings flashing by.

So I wouldn't give in and kill those men, but there had to be another option. It would be just as horrible for me to leave them out there on the streets to accost another woman. I would have to discuss this with Carlisle and Edward. Together we would be able to come up with something that would remove them from the streets of Port Angeles.

The restaurant loomed into view halfway down 1st Street. I found a parking space near the storefront and swung into it smoothly. La looked around in confusion as she hesitantly unlatched her seatbelt.

"What are you doing?" She asked and watched me narrowly as I got out and rounded the hood of the car to open her door.

I made a snap decision. I wasn't ready to leave her presence, and the nearly silent ride had not satiated my need to hear her thoughts. Besides, I was fairly certain she was in shock and needed to get some food in her, stat.

"I'm taking you to dinner," I told her with a mildness I did not feel.

She gave me a look that cut me to the core, then smiled. It was a tiny private smile that spoke of secrets and knowing.

She knows, I realized. La has figured out what I am.

Over the course of dinner, I found out exactly how much she knew. La's weekend had been productive, indeed. Somehow, though I had been so sure it was safe, she'd managed to bamboozle a young man on the Quileute reservation into telling her the tribe's entire history. I supposed this meant the treaty was now technically broken as they were only allowed to share those stories with fellow tribe members - not that I would make any fuss about it. Better to let a sleeping dog lie, heh heh.

In the end, it wouldn't have mattered. Whether she'd gotten the stories from their source or the internet, once she'd gotten them, it was only a matter of fitting together the things she'd already seen. With all her first-hand experience over the last couple of months, it wasn't a very difficult puzzle to complete.

By the time I had visited her that Sunday night after my hunting trip with Edward, she'd been perfectly aware of what I was.

"It was Saturday at the beach." She'd said during the drive back to Forks. "Actually, I ran into an old family friend, Jacob Black."

The name didn't ring a bell. She had to further explain that Jacob was the son of the only living male on the reservation, Billy, who would personally remember a wolf transition. The last known wolf, Ephraim Black, was Billy's grandfather.

The revelation had left me momentarily speechless. If she'd gotten her information from Jacob it would be accurate.

"So," she had continued with some goading. "We went for a walk, and he reminded me about some of the old tribe legends…"

My attention caught on the word choice, but I only urged her on as she fidgeted and picked at her nail beds.

"One of them was about…" she halted abruptly with a loud, phlegmy cough. I could see she was struggling with what to say, but I didn't feel any need to help her. If she had figured this out, I wanted to hear it from her. "Cold ones, er, rather… Vampires?"

Her discomfort had been palpable, but it was almost a relief to finally hear it. Everything was out in the open now. No more hiding, and honestly, it could have been worse. For one thing, the fact that she wasn't screaming or trying to escape a moving vehicle was a win in my book.

The more I thought about it, the more I came to understand that while the night had looked terrible for several long moments in the beginning, it had ended spectacularly because this conversation would effectively remove the need for any secrets between us.

La went on to explain how she'd gotten the story out of Jacob, what she'd asked, and how he had responded - even over-explaining. I think she wanted to protect Jacob in a way, to express that her knowledge wasn't his fault. Not that I would ever blame him. If I couldn't help but give her everything she wanted, how could I expect someone else to deny her?

"What brought it together?" I asked.

"I like to look at things written out, so I wrote it all down and tried to look at it objectively… and then… I decided it didn't matter." The way she'd said it had been so astoundingly nonchalant, as though myths dropped into her life on a daily basis. As if it was totally normal to be having a conversation with a dead person.

"It doesn't matter?" I'd wanted to shake her.

"No, it doesn't matter to me what you are or aren't."

I could have flung myself out of the car and done a jig. I wanted to crow with happiness and twirl her around until she wept with laughter. I wanted to say I love you right then and there.

"You don't care if I'm not human." I had to fight to keep the grin off my face the whole time.

"Well, you look human." What a smart ass.

"You don't care if I'm a monster?" I tried a different tactic.

"Monsters don't save lives, Emmett."

I would have argued the contrary, but I was too happy to be bothered. The questions rolled in after that. Now that the huge looming secrets hanging over us had been dissipated, she spoke freely. It was my first real look into her head.

Her questions were rapid-fire and succinct, equal parts good humor and kindness. She wondered about the mythology versus the real thing, why we couldn't go in the sun, what we ate, and where we slept.

With every answer she had another question ready, but she seemed to roll with every punch. There was no reason for her to be so calm about these revelations, but nothing seemed to take her out of her comfort zone.

It wasn't until I brought up her behavior during the attack that I saw the calm veneer crack. I asked what her plan had been, surrounded by four men, most of whom outweighed her, with nothing but a purse in her fist.

It didn't even look like she planned on running away, so I asked, "Were you going to fight them?"

Her answer scared me with its awful, raw voracity. It gave a horrific glimpse into her past; the contusions on her brain that hadn't healed, an abject fearlessness that bordered on insanity, the monotone she used when she spoke about her history, perhaps even a clue on the missing medical records.

"It probably wouldn't have done any good," she'd stated. "But neither would have running, not with four guys behind me. And I was just so mad. I don't think I've ever been that angry in my life. I just wanted to hurt them, to punish them for being the reason women fear walking alone at night. I wanted to see them suffer for every woman that's ever been traumatized by a man."

Her voice wavered and cracked with passion and she shook with anger. There was no mistaking it; those words had come from a place of experience.

Now, as I watched her skip into the halo of light cast by the bulb on her front porch and drove away from her house, I was left in mute reflection of the night's events. It seemed that whatever my worry had been about her choice - it was now just a matter of taking the time to ensure she was confident in whatever that choice ended up being; lifeless existence with me, or growth.

My thoughts lingered on our goodbye.

"See you tomorrow?" It almost sounded like a plea. Her gaze had locked onto mine, beseeching, before she'd gotten out of the car.

"Promise." I gave her the Scouts honor salute so she would know how seriously I took this promise. La lifted her middle finger to show her appreciation of my thoughtfulness before ducking inside.

It had been painful to leave her, but I had work to do now. First, I needed to get with the family. At this point, I was sure they already had a plan in place for locating and dealing with the four men on Angel Industrial Boulevard. Before I could spend my night peacefully watching La sleep, I would be making one more trip to Port Angeles.

I took a circuitous route home, attempting to let the tumultuous nature of my thoughts die down before I had to face the curiosity of my family. It was such an incredible boon to have the truth out. The absence of the ever-present fear I had been suffering under was akin to having the weight of an 18-wheeler lifted from my chest. No more fear, no more worry, no more need to be careful. Now I would be able to have some fun - assuming I didn't kill her in the process.

Assuming she felt about me the way I felt about her. Although, at this point it was clear there was some kind of reciprocation.

For a moment I let myself imagine what it would be like when she transitioned. It was wrong of me to think of that as a foregone conclusion, but it was also so gratifying to finally be able to hope there was a chance.

It would be such a relief to not have to worry about her vulnerabilities anymore. To not feel the need to frantically search a city when I couldn't find her, or constantly be vigilant about touching her with too much pressure, as right now it would be so easy to snap her in half.

These thoughts about vulnerabilities turned my attention to the matter at hand; the monster that was currently stalking the streets of Port Angeles. To leave him free and capable would be an unforgivable oversight. I couldn't kill him, but there were other options.

Alice was waiting for me on the front porch when I pulled up. She had her slender arms wrapped around her shins, with her chin resting on her bent knees. Her mouth was puckered into an apologetic frown.

"That was close," she said, clutching her legs more tightly into her body.

"Yep," I slumped onto the steps next to her and tousled her hair.

"I'm so sorry I didn't catch it sooner." Her breath hitched as she spoke, and she took a deep, steadying breath. I peered down at her. It still bewildered me how invested Alice was with the woman's wellbeing.

"Don't be," I assured her. "You can't catch everything all of the time. No one expects omniscience from a munchkin."

I smiled and drew her in for a tight hug. She made a strangled muffing noise and batted me away.

"I'm not a munchkin!" She groused. "But thanks."

"You know," I went on. "I nearly invited you out to dinner tonight. Did you catch that before everything went to hell in a handbasket?"

"Ooh," she cooed. "No, I wish I had caught it! I definitely would have gone."

The little smile that was beginning to form on her face abruptly dropped off.

"And then I might have been there to help when La wandered off." She let her head fall back onto her knees with a dejected huff.

"Forgive yourself, kid. La is fine," I opened my mouth to continue speaking but shut it again when my stomach made a little flop.

"What?" Alice hadn't missed the falter.

"Well," I shrugged self-consciously. "We ended up having a pretty good night."

Alice sat up and kicked her feet out over the steps. " Does that mean I can-"

"Whoa," I held my hands out to deflect her enthusiasm. "It doesn't mean anything yet, but-"

"Oh my god!" Alice squealed. Her eyes had the misty look she got when she was gazing into the future. "It means everything! The meadow is clear as day. The two outcomes are back; one of joy and one of horror."

Well, if that wasn't one sure way to kill a mood.

"My money is on joy, Emmett," she said gently.

"I hope you're right."

"I am," she said comfortably, and I had to admit it was a good point coming from her.

"What were you concentrating so hard on you missed all the drama tonight?"

She grinned devilishly. "Jasper is trying not to think about our anniversary. I keep getting little flashes of his gift ideas, but I think he's trying to keep from deciding."

"Wow, Alice," I reprimanded. "You are absolutely shameless."

"Oh yes," she tinkled a little laugh then sobered. Her lips pressed into a fine line as she stared up at me. "Are you going to tell them she knows?"

"Yep," I grunted. I was fairly certain everyone would be okay, but Jasper might take some delicate maneuvering. He would only see the risk.

"La took it pretty well," she continued.

"Too well," I agreed.

"Il Divenire…" Alice mused.

"You think those are real?"

"Jasper says they are." This was enough confirmation for her. "It would certainly fit La, wouldn't it?"

"Mmm."

"You better get going if you're going to get back to P-A," Alice stood and brushed off her jeans, then pulled me up next to her. "Carlisle is in his office."

"Alice-"

"Yes, yes, of course." She cut in before I could form the thought. "She sort of requires twenty-four-hour supervision, doesn't she?"

"At the very least, it would seem."

"She'll be fine tonight, I'm keeping better watch now." She tapped her head knowingly then opened the front door and held it for me to step inside before her. "You'll be with her soon enough, anyway."

More beautiful words had yet to be spoken. They were like a balm on my anxious heart.

"Go on," she motioned up the stairs with her chin. "Get this over with."

I took the stairs at a run and was inside Carlisle's office within a second. The lights were dimmed to an ombre glow, just enough luminescence to read, which he must have been doing just before my arrival. He was waiting for me, a book closed in his lap. Edward was seated across the broad oak desk from him, calmly flipping through the pages of his own large volume.

"Alice told you what happened to La tonight?"

"Almost happened," Carlisle amended as Edward nodded.

"Right, yeah, almost…" I agreed hastily. "So, I've got a dilemma. I'd like very much to rip the heads from these guys' shoulders, carve 'rapist' into their dismembered torsos, then leave them out to be found as an example but I realize that would be an act of vengeance, not justice, and I recognize that it would be very wrong for me to do, if extremely satisfying."

Edward's eyebrows lifted higher and higher as I continued to ramble.

"The thing is, it would be equally wrong to knowingly leave a serial rapist or three on the streets of Port Angeles. What if they decide to fix the pounding their pride took over the loss of their first victim by attacking some other girl? It would be my fault for leaving them free, and I just can't do that."

Carlisle smiled widely. "You've come a long way, son."

"I - what?"

"Fifty years ago you would have killed them without question," he said. "I couldn't be more proud of you. This woman must be very good for you to bring out so much compassion and control. I am very impressed."

I frowned. "I'm not here for compliments, Pops."

"No, of course not." He gave me another brilliant smile. "You can rest easy. No one will be hurt in La's place."

"You have a plan?"

"Yes," Edward said. "I can find him. His name is Lonnell Becker, but he goes by Lonnie."

"He?" I clarified. "Only one of them?"

"Yes," Edward nodded as he stood and placed his book on Carlisle's desk. "This would be the person that was initiating the assault. He was the only one we could readily find due to his priors, which are… extensive."

"I think 'person' is a bit generous. What about the others?"

"It is my hope we will be able to find more information about them when we apprehend Lonnie."

"And if we don't?"

"We will," Edward said mildly.

"I've packed a bag for you," Carlisle reached down beside his chair and lifted a plain, black leather bag. It was the same one he used to carry emergency medical supplies in.

"You won't be coming with us?"

"No, I have a shift in emergency tonight so I won't be able to accompany you," he admitted apologetically. "I have full confidence in your abilities to handle this matter discreetly. Edward knows the plan."

I looked at Edward from the corner of my eye. A part of me had been relying on Carlisle to come with us to be a voice of reason. Edward avoided my gaze and took the bag from our father.

"I'll make sure it goes smoothly," he said. By that, he meant he would make sure no one died. As much as I wanted to be the good guy for La, I was wary of any such promises. Without Carlisle's assuring presence, I wasn't completely confident I would be able to exert self-control.

"Take my car," Carlisle went on, oblivious to my internal argument. "He may have gotten a better look at Edward's than we know."

Carlisle's sleek black Audi was parked next to Alice's Porsche on the bottom level of the main garage. Edward threw the medical bag into the back and slid into the passenger seat, leaving the driver's side open for me.

I threw the fob into the center console and pressed the start button with more vigor than necessary. The car whispered to life. I backed out of the garage and did my best to navigate carefully down the mostly gravel driveway to the main road. Kicking up rocks that might put a hole in the radiator would only delay us further. Once we were on the road, I kicked the gas to the floor, flicked the headlights off, and tore down the 101.

We made it back in just under thirty minutes. Lonnie was drowning himself with cheap alcohol in a seedy pub off Marine Drive. The night was still relatively early, yet Lonnie's head was already slumping toward the bar in his drunken stupor.

As soon as we were within striking distance, rage overtook me and I pushed past my brother to get to the man first. Edward gripped my shoulder, shook his head, then pointed across the street toward a vacant dock. I nodded grimly and crossed the road to wait.

There was an abandoned shack at the water's edge that would provide an adequate amount of cover. I broke the lock off and opened the door. Inside was a run-down, threadbare, stinking palate, several bottles of chemicals, needles of every gauge, and a plethora of empty plastic baggies.

It smelled of fear sweat and sickness. The scents of several different humans hung about the place, though the scent of one specific human seemed to be the strongest. I recognized this particular human. Somehow, it seemed I had inadvertently stumbled upon the hidey hole of our man in question.

Edward, I thought loudly. Take a look. I found his drug den. This is where he takes his girls, and from the smell of it, some of them didn't make it out again.

There was a dense cloying scent I associated with death within the layers of decay assaulting my senses. Hurry up, I added to Edward. I didn't know how long I would be able to wait, especially after finding this nightmare.

I paced the small square room, syringes crunching beneath my feet as I retraced the same steps. Eventually came the sound of two sets of footsteps approaching. I stared at the door impatiently, listening to the sound of them making their way slowly across the street. By the time they entered the shack, I had worked myself into a frenzy.

The door was opened in inches by shaking hands. Heavy, hitched breathing accompanied the welcome sound. Lonnie seemed to have a very good idea of what awaited him inside. I managed to hold off long enough for Lonnie to step through the doorway, but I was on him before Edward could get between us.

My first punch unhinged Lonnie's jaw. I felt the satisfying crunch under my knuckles as I made contact. The second swing broke a set of his ribs. They cracked loudly in the dank air of the shack with a delightful pop. Lonnie started to fall but I caught him by gripping a shoulder so tightly a collarbone snapped beneath my thumb. Lonnie screamed frantically, but he'd chosen his lair well - there was no one to hear his cries.

Edward pulled me off and managed to throw me bodily out of the door into the darkness outside before I could break the man's neck. I landed on my back in a puddle of muck that splashed up spectacularly and caught me in the face.

It was too soon, I wasn't finished with my prey. With a roar, I launched myself back toward the shack, intent on finishing the job.

Edward tackled me sideways. "Go to La, brother," he said firmly. "I can handle this."