Red Moon ~ Chapter 25 ~ Red Moon; Tears of Blood

Chapter 25: Red Moon; Tears of Blood

For some time –it could be minutes, it could be even hours; I couldn’t know– I was sliding down. It was pitch black and the tunnel was really smooth and cold like polished marble. I didn’t have control over what was happening and for a while I wondered if gravity even applied here.

When I reached the end, I landed on a soft patch of grass and got on my feet quickly. I jumped aside just in time so that Jacob and Nessie wouldn’t fall on top of me. as I looked up I noticed Bella, Nessie’s mother. Relief washed over me, I could never believe that I’d feel so good just by seeing a familiar face! Next to her was standing Athenodora, looking more beautiful and dangerous than ever with her blond, long hair being blown around from the wind. Jacob leaped towards the battlefield and Nessie buried her face in her mom’s arms.

I examined the place. I shuddered at the view. Two big fires burned on the sides, the thick, purple-gray smoke towering up towards the sky and blending with the dark clouds. I couldn’t make out sides fighting. Most faces were unknown. But I did recognize some. The Cullens. Zafrina. Senna. A man who looked like Nahuel. Probably was Nahuel too. My parents… My parents!

I felt the urge to run towards them. But I couldn’t go like this. I was a fox. I don’t think that they were really used to this change. And I wanted to actually hug them. I slipped silently away and phased back. Athenodora smiled at me and then disappeared. I didn’t know where she was heading but I saw a pale flash at the neck of the woods. Phillip, Cole and Dawn appeared at the opening but I was already running towards my parents. I had to get to them.

The sky was dark and I could hear thunders above me but when I observed it more closely it had began to clear. Here and there the clouds were thinner and I could see the stars sparkling playfully. It felt like eons since I last saw a clear sky. I knew I probably looked totally out of shape, my face felt dirty and dark with smudges, my hair hadn’t been brushed for days and my shoulder felt still sore from putting it back in place. It was way better than before though.

I wondered what would happen if any humans approached us. What if they saw all this? We were completely exposed. This mess should be cleaned up soon.

Vampires were all over the place. But nobody attacked me. Were all these on our side? No wonder that there was a loud buzz on the other side of the line when I talked to my parents. There were more than twenty here. And wolves… I hadn’t seen so many wolves again. Not even on the TV. A sandy one was running from wolf to wolf like he was… checking on them. Making sure they were alright? I couldn’t know. Two others were standing really close to each other, a dark gray and a silverish white. A black one, bigger than the others, a bit bigger than Jacob was standing and a brown-red flash –Jacob– approached him. I saw Carlisle running towards another wolf that had fallen on the ground and was breathing hard. I felt sorry for him. I didn’t even know if he could make it.

I stopped thinking about it, there was nothing I could do. I focused on my parents. I was close. Very close. I heard someone shouting my name behind me. The voice was Cole’s. I didn’t know what he wanted but I couldn’t turn around now.

Before I could realize what was happening I was on the ground. A satisfied smirk was the only thing I could focus on. She was looking down at me and her brown hair wasn’t anymore in a tight bun like usually. Jane.

I never liked her. I don’t think that I would even if we had met under normal circumstances. Maybe not even if I was human. I didn’t know.

‘If they do it, you won’t have time to give them permission. You won’t realize a thing,’ Cole’s voice was there again. Echoing like the last time.

That was what he wanted to tell me. That’s why he shouted my name.

I felt stupid for not turning around. But there was no time to think now. Just act. Act like a vampire. I couldn’t remember where I heard that from but I was almost sure that the twins, she and Alec, were not trained to fight. They were based on their talents and that was it. If it was true –which I really hoped that was– I was lucky. And I could finally take revenge on Jane.

I snarled at her and she widened her eyes, as if she was offended. Such a snobbish, erratic vampire. Who does she think she is?

Nobody was around. No Aro, no Caius, no Marcus. Wrong. Marcus was there but he was standing motionless. Maybe waiting for someone to kill him? I didn’t really know. Maybe. I remembered Didyme’s story. Probably that was it. He missed Didyme. He wanted to find her again. Soon enough a wolf was there and I turned my eyes the other way.

Surprisingly Jane hadn’t made her move yet. She was just grinning and I looked at her, trying to find out what she was doing. What was she doing? I felt little pinches, but they were nothing, almost non-existent, like this numbing sensation that I had on my legs when I was sitting for too long. She was trying to hurt me. But why wasn’t she making it? The last time she was using her power and it stopped. That was because Cole distracted her though. I didn’t get it. Now there was no one to distract her.

‘My mom has a power too. She is a shield. She told me that she was protecting us from the twin’s power when they came to kill us,’ I remembered Nessie saying, when we were in Sherrill. When we were home. Seemed like such a long time ago…

So was it Bella? She was protecting me?

A smile that I didn’t mean to show escaped my lips and Jane’s eyes glistened in annoyance. So, so, so spoiled.

She growled at me and her hand reached to punch me. I dodged her just in time and found myself jumping a couple of meters away from her. This was just me and her this time.

Okay, think, Eshe, think! What did Cole tell you? I replayed the whole scene, me and Cole in the back of the house, Cole showing me how to kill a vampire… Fire! You tear them apart and burn them! It was so obvious, I did it in the tunnels already. But I didn’t do it on my own. Dawn was close with a torch. As soon as I had made my move she set the pieces in fire. Now I had to do it all by myself.

I thought about asking for help but nobody was really paying attention. After all this was a matter of pride. I couldn’t look like a coward because a selfish vampire from the Middle Ages decided to bully me!

I jumped on her and pinned her on the ground. She rolled over and ended up on top of me. Darn! Ugh! Think something fast! If I gave her enough time she could choke me to death. I don’t think she would have any morals holding her back from doing it. Her red eyes showed that she had done it over and over again with countless humans. I shuddered and brought my legs to my chest and kicked her away.

She didn’t flinch but it made her stumble. Then she straightened her back and stood there proudly just like before. I stood up too. She came for me once more and tried to make me trip and I found the chance to kick her again. Her red glare was angry, furious and burning. I didn’t see how she hit me but my head hit hard on a rock. I felt dizzy and black spots darkened my vision. Instinctively my hand reached for the back of my head that was already hurting. There was some blood.

Not again… I cried inside my head.

I had to get up soon or she’d have her chance. I felt a rush of dizziness as I got on my feet but tried to focus on her. She was observing me, laughing. Without thinking I ripped her arm off. A shriek of pain echoed in the air and she pushed me back with her good arm and I ended up on the ground… again. I didn’t know how I could get up again. I felt numb. My eyes were closing.

No! I need to get up!

I was trying to fight it off and open my eyes but my eyelids felt so heavy… A pair of warm hands helped me sit up but before I could see who it was Cole was in front of me fighting with Jane. He was way better than I was and I could only sit and stare for a second. He was so fast and strong!

Jane looked even more annoyed that I was still conscious and standing –well, sort of. But she was more angry because Cole was getting in the way. And she couldn’t beat him.

Dark spots still danced around my vision but I was struggling to make them go away. When I could focus well enough I realized that Jane was whole again but Cole was giving her a really hard time. She was trying to avoid his attacks and didn’t have time to make her own moves; she looked exhausted. I didn’t know that vampires could get tired, but if they could, Jane was the perfect example of that. Her eyes looked to have darkened a shade or two, as if she had spent a lot of energy on that.

I got up slowly but I felt good. I could keep fighting.

“Eshe, stay back!” Cole shouted at me without glancing back. He was busy punching Jane at the moment.

“I’m fine!” I objected.

“Please, Eshe, just listen to me!” He sounded tired too. And very, very anxious.

I jumped forward, ignoring him and Jane gave me another glare. What she wanted to say was obvious. ‘You’re still standing?’ Her eyes were mocking at me and anger sparked inside me too. I hadn’t forgotten how horrible she was to me.

I punched her hard and fell on top of her on the ground. Cole was standing still, looking shocked, because I didn’t really listen to him. I was struggling with Jane and when he tried to get involved I hissed, “Stay back!” at him. It wasn’t nice, I know, but this was my fight. Jane was strong but I could fight her. I bit her arm and tore it apart from her torso again. I didn’t know where that hunch had come from but I was right about her fighting skills. She just knew the basics.

She growled at me and I felt someone pulling me away from her, just for seconds before I punched him in the face. Then I realized that it was Alec. I was startled by his sudden appearance; I had almost forgotten him. I didn’t have to bother with him because Cole began fighting with him. When I glanced at where they were standing again they had disappeared. Or it was me who had moved away. The bonfire that used to be really far away from me was just inches away. It was so close that I could feel the warmth radiating from it.

Jane’s eyes for the first time didn’t show anything mean. No jealousy, no anger, no hatred. She was scared. The feel of being so close to the flames was scary for her. It brought back memories. I could remember Cole telling me the twins’ story one day.

* * * * *

We were cuddled together in his room and I admitted to him how much the twins –especially Jane– scared me. How I felt that they hated me in some way.

He stroked my hair and smiled. “They’re with everyone like this. There are many reasons about this. It’s kind of sad actually. I understand them,” he told me softly.

“I want to know,” I insisted.

“Alright then… Let’s see… They lived in the Middle Ages. Not a happy season for gifted people. It’s the time of the witch trials.”

“We had learned about that in history when I was in France last year.” I realized excited.

He smiled again. “I know.”

Of course you do. You always do.

“They lived in a small village, the people were affected from the climate that existed in general in Europe. They were simple and scared. They didn’t know how else to react. Alec and Jane were twelve by the time the villagers realized what they could do. These two could have hidden best. But they used their powers the wrong way. Especially Jane. She had the tendency to be cruel all along.”

“Yeah, I can imagine her like that,” I agreed in a bitter tone. Vampires usually didn’t change. They were the same people. Someone nice could stay nice and someone mean would stay mean. I had learned that by now: People don’t change. The way we look at them changes.

“Their mother protected them at first. She made up excuses and kept them protected. She hoped that they still could change. But when she died they were left alone. And didn’t even think of the consequences. They were almost dead when the Volturi arrived. Aro was furious. He had spotted them since they first used their powers and was excited at the possibilities. He’d wait just long enough for them to be mature enough to be changed. He had always spies near the village. When the word that they’d accuse them of witchery and would burn them he left Volterra and literally destroyed the village to get to them. And the only way to keep them in the guard was to change them on the spot.”

“That’s sad…” I looked up at him and hugged him tighter. “Must have been scary too.”

“It was. But these things don’t happen anymore,” he assured me and kissed the tip of my nose and I pulled him closer and kissed his lips.

“And why are they so mean? Because of what the humans did to them?”

“There are many reasons. Part of this was because of these events. They also envy that you get to get older. They are stuck in twelve for the rest of eternity.”

“That’s awful.” I looked at his eyes to see if he agreed. He totally did. “Wait… They were too young. Weren’t they considered immortal children?” I winced at the sound of the words. I hadn’t said it aloud since my mom had explained to me about them many years ago. Because of fear, and of the knowledge that immoral children were still a taboo in the vampire world I didn’t dare to say it very loud, it was barely a whisper.

“Not really. They were just on the limit. And they were after the Volturi’s protection. Who would do the trial? And as long as their coincidence was developed enough to have control over their killings they had the right to live just like any other vampire.”

“So this is why?”

“Yes, that’s it.”

* * * * *

I knew that the sight of fire would frighten her. It was only normal. When you’ve been at stake and been almost burned to death it makes sense to be scared of it. Especially when it could destroy you, even as an immortal.

“Scared, Jane?” I was taking advantage of the situation, I was being mean, but I had every right after her actions.

Her wide eyes looked at the flames and then just back at me and she struggled to get up. Before she could I ripped her head off, just like Cole had showed me. Disgusted by what I did I threw it quickly in the flames, along with the rest of her body.

I couldn’t think about what I did. Even if she was mean it felt wrong. Sick. Just like what the Volturi used to do. Jane had been the reason for who knows how many vampires to die. But I still didn’t find this as a good enough excuse for killing her. I had to stop thinking.

I scanned the area searching for my parents again. As soon as my eyes met my mother was by my side and I hugged her as tight as I had ever hugged anyone. Her familiar scent was all the comfort I needed. My dad was there soon enough and hugged us both. Finally. Finally it was all over. I didn’t know if it could get any better.

Someone behind us put off the fire and the sky cleared. A bright, deep red moon shone above our heads. I had never seen one before. And I would remember it forever. I would remember this day forever.

After what felt like ages they let go of me and my mom helped me sit and Carlisle was by my side cleaning the wound in my head. The adrenaline was still running in my body and I didn’t really feel any pain.

“I’m fine,” I insisted.

“Please, Eshe, it will just take seconds.” He kept cleaning the wound with quick and methodical moves like he had done it thousands of times ago.

I pleaded that he’d finish soon so that I could go get Cole. I had to make sure he was alright. And he would finally meet my parents! I was so excited! But Carlisle pushed gently me back so that I’d stay put until he finished.

Jacob approached us, in human form and dressed in clean clothes that some other vampire must have given to him.

“We lost two wolves,” he said in a sad voice. Alex and George.

I couldn’t recognize the names. Jake had never mentioned them.

“And one of the half breeds who had come to help. Nahuel’s sister? Awiti. He’s a mess, Dawn is sitting with him. And Charlotte. We almost lost Collin. Can you go help him, Carlisle? Someone else could take care of Eshe. Edward or Rosalie maybe?” He didn’t say it in a bad way, he just was taking care of his pack and being a good Alpha. And this way I could slip away and get Cole here. “Eshe? Can I ask you something?”

“Sure,” I said as Carlisle run a light in front of my eyes checking my vision.

“Have you seen Cole?” he asked and for a second I felt as if my stomach was filled with knots. His voice was dark. Worry filled me.

I wanted to sound confident and calm but my voice came out shaky and weak, “Y-y-you haven’t?”

“I hoped that he was with you.” His eyes looked at me seriously and I felt the tears coming.

No! There’s no reason to cry! I commanded myself. I couldn’t panic now. I had to look around and he’d be somewhere around. There was nothing else that could have happened. I wasn’t ready to accept that anything else could have happened.

“W-w-what do you m-m-mean? Isn’t he any-whe-e-re else?”

My mom hugged my shoulders and I felt on the verge of tears. She didn’t even know! Carlisle let go of my head and asked me to keep a bandage over the wound until someone would come and I jumped on my feel despite my parents’ protests. I was looking everywhere, literally, I almost had checked under the stones to see he wasn’t there. The reality hit me hard. Really hard.

“This can’t be,” was the only thing that I could say. I wasn’t ready to accept something like that yet. I was sobbing. But I wouldn’t cry yet. He might be around!

Nessie came to where I was sitting. She looked really sorry. It made me hurt even more. Don’t be sorry! It’s not over yet! I wanted to say but I started crying. Really crying. I pushed my knees to my chest and forgot what had happened, forgot that my parents were here, forgot that I had to keep the bandage on my head.

All I could do was look up at the sky, which was cloud and smoke free by now, and stare at the red moon.

You did this! I accused it selfishly. I cried harder because I knew. I knew that nothing would ever be the same.

Before you kill me I have some explaining to do…

Dawn returned to the Amazon and her beloved stepfather, Aku.

Phillip left, deciding to travel around the world and maybe even find a new coven, although Petra’s coven would always be in his heart.

Peter, Jasper’s friend, indeed lost his mate but with the passing of the years his wound healed and he found someone else.

Athenodora run away and soon found Caius.

Sulpicia was killed accidentally by someone from the pack before she managed to explain anything.

Gianna gave up her plan to become a vampire and got a real life.

Everyone else returned home after taking care of the cleanup that the place needed so that the humans didn’t realize what happened that night.

The Cullens and the Baras returned to Sherrill.

To find out what happened to Eshe read the sequel, Aurora Borealis.

Lots of love,

Nessie

Red Moon ~ Chapter 24 ~ The Fight ~ Bella's POV

Chapter 24: The Fight

~Bella’s Point Of View~

We approached the hill where the city stood. The stone walls were high and made me feel awe but at the same time anger as we came closer. I squeezed Edwards hand harder and moved closer to him.

“We’re going to make it, love. Don’t worry about it.”

How can I not? I thought to myself shielding my thoughts from him.

I thought the whole nightmare was over. At least the part that involved Renesmee and Eshe. We flew all the way to the wilderness of the Alps to find out that what? The Volturi got them before we set a foot on the airport! And not only that! We hadn’t managed to figure out much since they escaped to France but there were more in it. The Volturi had been kidnapping half vampires for some time now! But the rest of them hadn’t been searched. They didn’t have anyone search for them…

We found this baby girl, Melanie… Her tiny, childish body curled up to a ball sobbing when we got there forced a wave of awful emotions to come on the surface. I remember me running to her and cradling her in my arms even if I had no idea who she was. When she spoke I recognized her voice. She was high pinched like Alice’s and I remember hearing it before in the background when I talked with my Nessie and Jake some days ago. She was so scared and then all of a sudden she stopped, murmuring a name of a boy and forced herself to be brave. She was strong. Much stronger than her fragile body would suggest.

“What is your name, baby?” I recalled Alice asking her coming closer and stoking her long, raven black hair.

“Me-la-nie,” she had answered trying to drown the sobs that were escaping her tiny chest.

I rocked her back and forth trying to comfort her and she clutched to my shirt but she looked at each of us with wide eyes examining us.

“Are you Nessie’s momma?” she asked me and I was shocked to be asked that.

“Yes.” I nodded.

“She has your look. And she smiles the same way.” I didn’t understand how she knew we had the same smile since she hadn’t seen me smile.

“And you’re her daddy, right?” she asked Edward. “Your hair is the color as hers are. And her scent is like yours…”

I saw Edward giving her a small smile, amused from her thoughts obviously. She focused then on Alice, observing her for some time as if she could see through her. Alice was frustrated by her constant staring but Edward knew something. He just wouldn’t tell us yet. Instead he asked her questions, she explained about Victor and Jake and Nessie and Eshe and that there were three other half vampires, Phillip, Cole and Dawn. Nahuel and Huilen jumped forward at the sound of the name Dawn, as if lighting had struck them. He explained us that she was another one of his half sisters, the youngest, and the one he got closer to. Huilen remained silent but sadness was all over her face.

There had been many who volunteered to come with us against the Volturi. Almost everyone who had come to witness Renesmee’s growth six years ago, everyone except Amun and Kebi, who kindly refused blaming it on issues with their coven, and Alistair, who had run off the last time and according to Carlisle was still hiding. The Amazons were here, Zafrina rushed in Sherrill as soon as she heard what happened. Kachiri told Nahuel and Huilen too and although Nahuel’s father, Joham, didn’t come, his other half sisters did. Except the little one because he couldn’t reach her. He thought she had moved somewhere else. Now he did know the truth. The Irish and the Egyptians, Benjamin and Tia came too. And of course the Denali coven, with Garrett who had joined them a couple of years ago. Jasper’s friends, Charlotte and Peter, learned from someone else and came in the last minute. They found us when we landed in France actually.

Now here we were, all of them, my family and the packs, ready to fight body and soul to get them back. Some came only for revenge. They didn’t really care about what would happen to us as long as they could see the Volturi burn. They didn’t have to say that aloud to be sure they thought it. Stefan and Vladimir. This was the only thing that could make them move their ancient bodies from their creepy castle in Romania to join a horde of vampires and shape shifters. The same motives six years ago and just the same motives now.

Alice stayed back with Melanie … Neither could we take the girl with us nor could we leave her alone into the wilderness! We needed Alice to help us with the fight but it was not as if anyone but Edward could be warned. She’d be bombarded by the decisions of one and the other side causing her only to get distracted… We left Brandy with her. He’d phase and Alice could inform the whole pack and Edward about what was happening. Although the wolves and the half breeds might make the bigger picture too blurry for her to see anything at all… We couldn’t know, not really.

I raised my shield showing all my worries to Edward. He placed an arm around my waist and whispered in my ear, “It’s alright. Everything’s going to be alright.”

“I hope so,” I said and tried to look optimistically at things.

I couldn’t wait for everything to be over. Until we could go back to Sherrill and be like before. My eyes fixed on Emma and Alem. They were pacing slowly next to us holding hands.

“Bella, you’d better raise your shield, we’re almost there,” Carlisle asked me.

“Oh, sure.”

I was so absent minded looking around gazing at the night sky. The moon hadn’t shown yet, it was hidden behind thick clouds. There were thunders every so and then and I thought that this would help us not be revealed to humans. The threat of the storm would keep them inside the city. And the sounds of the fight would probably be translated as many violent thunders.

Carlisle and Eleazar had the lead since they had lived in Volterra and knew how things here worked. Of course we wouldn’t go for a hearing but we needed a way to get in. Or somehow talk to them anyway.

“Bella? Have you covered all of us?” Edward asked again giving me a small nudge.

“Oh, no, sorry,” I apologized and closed my eyes concentrating on my shield.

Shielding others had been second nature to me after six years of practice. The Cullens could use some privacy from Edward’s mind reading. I knew Edward appreciated it too. Stretching my shield was easy, but there were many of us. We had been practicing for some time and while the others learned how to fight I was learning to keep re-shaping my shield so that it would keep our side protected all the time. We knew from the beginning that I wouldn’t fight except if it was absolutely necessary. Instead I would be standing in the background, monitoring the situation. I knew Edward had partially responsible for that decision because he wanted to keep me as far away as he could from the battlefield. I let the shield find its way around the group of vampires and wolves around us. It wasn’t necessary to keep all the wolves under my protection because their minds were somehow linked to each other’s but I tried being as cautious as I could.

“We’re fine now,” I assured him and felt Edward tense next to me.

“They know that we’re here. They’re waiting for us.”

“How many?” Carlisle asked.

“Around ten. But more are coming.”

“We can forget the element of surprise then. Well we can win some time by talking. I bet Aro would like to have one of his typical, fake-kind conversations Carlisle.” Jasper had left his calm face and was all serious and his mind was calculating any fighting possibilities.

Instead of stopping we approached, to see what Edward had warned us about. Dark cloaks near the walls. They were so still that I might not have noticed if I wasn’t told they were there. They were just shadows, barely noticeable in the dark. I took a deep breath and looked forward as we got closer. I had to keep an eye on the Volturi of course but my main concern –and mission– was to make sure I was protecting everyone. This time we weren’t trying to avoid trouble and wish that the Volturi would not want a fight and would pretend to be peaceful, even if they buckled we would fight.

The outlines of the cloaked figures were becoming more distinct, I could almost see the vampires’ facial characteristics –almost. When we were close enough to make out details and see who was who all of us froze and my mind –always surprisingly leaving me infinite space to think about everything– processed what was happening, listed the vampires of the guard standing across us and was also making sure that no humans were nearby. Hundreds of thoughts raced in my head and for a second I envied Edward and Jasper and the fact that they could get a feel of what was going on with the other side. What were they thinking? What were they feeling? Scare? Sarcasm? Did they believe we would be a large but rather easy situation to clean up? It would be expected by sadistic creatures like Aro. He was standing there, in the middle. But my attention was caught from the dark, almost shapeless figure behind him, she took a step forward and I made sure it was her. Renatta. She was only one but her shielding abilities could almost count her as if two vampires were protected. She was Aro’s personal bodyguard. From the beginning, from the other time I had seen her I held a strong dislike for her, not because she was shielding Aro but because she was part of this in general. It was a confusing emotion. And Jasper told us that during a battle emotions only get you killed. So ironic to hear that from an empath.

Oh the sides I could see Demetri and Felix, probably the only ones without a strong talent that would be useful in battle. In the center stood all three of them and their expressions were almost like our last encounter six years ago. But the lack of snow and the completely different landscape, the high, threatening, medieval walls and the slope of the cliff we were on reminded me of how different the situation was. Not like the one in Forks. We were coming here, in their territory, demanding what is ours. But intending to kill them anyway.

“Carlisle! What a pleasant surprise! Quite an odd time for a visit isn’t it?” Aro said expanding his arms in the air, as if he was surprised and excited.

I heard a low snarl from a wolf nearby, one of the newbie’s, Denis. He silenced himself quickly and I suspected that Sam was the one asking him to considering the way he lowered his head as a bow of respect. The twins, Alex and Nick, looked completely different in wolf form, one of them the darkest shade of browns while the other a fair, snow white. They looked at him in sympathy, their grey eyes almost glowing in the darkness of the night.

Carlisle’s lips twitched and for the first time I really saw that he was a vampire, strong and lethal like the rest of them. It was hard to picture this only with my imagination when I had this caring and loving man who appreciated and valued human life so much. Now, with another kind of fire burning his eyes, I could see clearly another side of him. Yet he smiled gloomily, an expression that I wasn’t sure that Aro could make out from this far.

 “I believed it would be an appropriate time. And rather a surprise also. I know you were waiting.” He meant that Aro must have been waiting our visit. A long time ago too. If it weren’t for some vampires’ careful planning, patience and experience I’d be here the next day, trying even on my own to fight them to get to my little Renesmee.

A low chuckle escaped Aro’s chest but it wasn’t amused. “Indeed I was waiting for you. Although I expected you to bring… different company than this.” His look was on the wolves. Specifically Sam. Their eyes locked for a second and the hatred between the two sides was almost causing sparks to fly around. I wondered what the thoughts crossing Aro’s mind were at the moment. Was he looking down at the wolves? Or maybe was scared of them?

“Never underestimate the enemy,” Carlisle warned and this was when they both let the masks of kindness aside and exchanged a nod, as if they knew that after this was told something would change.

It was a cue that I might not be the only lot to recognize. In the blink of an eye everyone was lowering in a defensive crouch and I felt lost. There was something I was missing here. Maybe I was concentrating really hard on my shield. Two cold arms caught me from behind and pulled me backwards, not roughly but with a lot of nerve.

“Bella, you know what to do,” Edward’s soft voice forced me to focus. He was the one holding my shoulder.

I nodded and moved the furthest away from what would become the battlefield. I needed to have a good look on everyone.

After all these planning and the technique learning during the last month someone would expect me to understand more looking at the bigger picture but I still could see each of them, individually, fighting the others. Emmett crashed against Demetri, just like he said he would. I thought he was joking all the way about wanting to fight with him but it proved that he was honest. Demetri was his first target. I could see Jasper with swift, methodical moves, years and years of tactful fighting coming on the surface and dealing with the most inexperienced in seconds. His speed was a challenge for my shield, to keep him in but the others outside. The wolves were not my main concern. If one was safe all of them were. I kept my focus only on George, one of them, the one who was also closer to me, and concentrated on the vampires who were more and as they mixed up with the guard it was getting more and more difficult to keep them safe.

Zafrina was fighting against someone else, someone I hadn’t seen before, a man tall and lean, with deep red eyes and fair blond hair. He didn’t stand a chance. He wasn’t inexperienced but Zafrina’s wild battle style was something beyond what he could deal with. His look turned blank for a second and I knew that Zafrina was probably using her gift, showing him some horrible image to distract him before she could behead him.

With the corner of my eye I caught Rosalie on my left and Tanya on my right lighting up bonfires, big and threatening ones. I knew that it was the only way to really finish them off though. We had to get them before they caught us.

Nobody cared about the fair haired vampire that Zafrina killed so the coast was clear to get him the fire before he could reattach himself. The sweet scent of burnt vampire filled the air but nobody seemed to care. Everyone was too caught up with fighting to bother with this.

Closer to where I was standing, but without coming against me, was Caius was struggling with Sam. Actually it didn’t really look like he was struggling. His moves were so ethereal and light, avoiding Sam’s attacks in the way that only a thousand of years old immortal could. Sam let a loud growl in annoyance but I could see him being more tired. I bounced on my heels impatiently, worrying about him and on the verge of running towards him to assist. Just in time I saw Eleazar and Peter sneaking behind him and I smiled. Caius turned around quickly and gave them a hateful look as he went for Peter. Sam jumped on his back throwing him on the ground and ripping away his arm.

I turned away my look hoping that they would deal with the rest of Caius too. A messy, bronze head in the background caught my attention this time. Edward. He along with Carlisle and Rosalie were fighting with three more vampires; I could recognize the two of them from the trial six years ago and the other was a blurry human memory. Someone I had seen only for a little in my previous short visit in Volterra. Shielding them was tricky because they had surrounded the other vampires but I managed to keep them out of my shield. I had to tell Edward somehow that if he moved a little further away I wouldn’t be able to protect them. I was already reaching my limits and I couldn’t promise that I would manage to stretch my shield much further. To my surprise I saw the vampires turning against each other instead of Carlisle, Edward or Rosalie. I chuckled imagining Edward revealing some dark secret of one of them to the other two… I knew that these ones would be fine too.

It was hard to make out our side anymore because most of the guard had let their cloaks go, they were only useless weight on their shoulders. Now everything looked just like heads. Heads here, heads there. It felt confusing and overwhelming, I almost let Chelsea in. I focused even harder and after a long time remembered how being tired felt like. Not physically tired but mentally. It was almost as bad. But I knew I had to hold on. For Nessie. For Jacob. For all of them.

I saw five new vampires appearing from a small crack in the wall, and shivered. I didn’t know what to expect as I was Jane and Alec made their appearance. Their big, childish eyes investigated the battlefield counting the loses. They had many. We had some too. I didn’t know who they were though. I felt some heads missing under my shield though. Two of them were wolves. Some of the new ones. Poor kids… And I couldn’t spot Charlotte. And one of Nahuel’s sisters. Awiti. I hoped that they just was out of the shield.

The Volturi were missing more. Eight vampires were down. Five of them newborns. I saw Jasper taking them down. And the three with whom Edward, Carlisle and Rosalie were dealing with. And Caius probably too. He couldn’t have survived the attack of two vampires and a shape shifter. It was almost impossible. And Emmett was fighting Demetri… My eyes searched for him. I found him some meters further away from where he was the last time. Demetri was nowhere in sight but new smoke was rising from the fire. Deep, purple smoke. Emmett had a playful smile on his face which made him look even more dangerous. I saw Chelsea jumping on him and pieces of her ended up everywhere. I flinched and paid close attention to the wolves for the first time.

Sam was fighting another vampire, a blond man, tall and lean, whose name was Santiago as far as I knew. I could see Sam’s deep, black fur raise as he snarled and leaped on Santiago ripping his leg and then his head out of place and bringing him closer to the fire.

Jolie was closer to the fire, her light gray-white fur almost shining silver in the fire’s light as she fought another dark haired vampire, Afton. She lost her focus from a second and I wondered if another wolf distracted her. Afton reached behind her, almost getting her for a while. If he reached her from behind he’s choke her to death. I held my breath and the urge to run down there and help was back, stronger. I wanted to protect her. Soon enough Leah approached and helped her instead.

A small pinch, more disturbing than painful was hitting various spots in my shield. Jane. She looked down at me, still far away, next to Aro, to be safe from the fighting vampires and shape shifters but trying to do as much harm as she could. I could he her frustration as she couldn’t find a weak spot, someone exposed to her power. She was tapping her foot on the damp ground and brought her eyebrows closer, resembling a spoiled child that didn’t get things done her way. Actually that was what she was. A little child. And she would keep being that.

A hand on my sleeve caused me to crouch close to the ground and jumping some feet away I raised my upper lip exposing my teeth and hissed. My stance softened though then I realized it was Zafrina. Her look was wild, even in the clothes Alice had given her (‘to blend with the humans’ she told us) her jeans were ripped apart and there were brown smudges all over her from the knees of the jeans to her cheekbones. Her hair used to be held in tight braids but had loosened from the fight and half of it was floating around her, looking like a dark halo around her head.

For the first time I noticed that she looked tired. Something on her showed that she was drained of energy. Maybe it was the darkness of her eyes. We had all fed just one day before –I avoided to think how most of our allies had– and everyone’s eyes were a lively shade of crimson or gold. I couldn’t imagine how Zafrina’s eyes got so dark in so little time and I caught myself wondering how much my own eyes had darkened in the meantime.

“I think it’s time,” she said and her deep, heavy accent seemed like bringing a sense of me back. It was almost as if for all this time I had set the fight in mute, not hearing the thunders above us, just like I couldn’t hear the snarls and growls from the vampires in the battlefield. I had been hearing only what I focused hard on and now the battle sounds startled me.

“Is the coast clear?” I asked trying to imagine my way through the crowd.

“I will make sure it will be.” Her eyes showed that she was not joking. She looked down at Senna and Kachiri for a second, they were struggling with four more vampires; judging from the brightness of the eyes and lack of technique they were young. Maybe one year old. Maybe two. But not older.

I nodded and silently prepared to do it. I closed my eyes and made sure that Zafrina was out of my shield just for a second, long enough to see most vampires, the one I wasn’t familiar with freeze and look around with wide horrified eyes. I let Zafrina back in and didn’t look back. I hoped that she’d manage to hold them long enough for the whole thing to be done but I highly doubted that I would be this lucky. Everything was working according to the plan. While the Volturi would be distracted by whatever Zafrina was showing them I would get my way to Renatta. And Aro.

As I passed in front of Edward he gave me a small encouraging nod. If there was anyone able to do this it was me. Time to prove if Eleazar’s theory about me being able to get through Renatta’s shield is true.

Everything felt like slow motion even when running in vampire speed. Everyone in the guard looked so lost and scared, even Jane. I looked straight at Renatta who wasn’t looking somewhere in particular. The wolves took advantage of the situation and tried getting rid of as many vampires as possible and the ripping sounds were accompanied by the angry thunders of the approaching storm. I was prepared for what would happened if Renatta’s shield had an effect on me, Eleazar had explained to me exactly how it did work. I would probably end up heading somewhere away from Renatta without even being sure about the reason my course changed. I came closer and closer and expected to bump on someone else. She was still lost and so was Aro. Almost. Aro seemed more concentrated on the surroundings, his eyes scared but not as much as the rest of them.

To my surprise I got a grip on Renatta’s arm. I didn’t even realize I was this close. She flinched away and asked with shaky voice, “Who is there?”

For a second I felt grateful I wasn’t the one under Zafrina’s spell as I ripped out Renatta’s arm. She tried to defend herself but her moves were in vain. She couldn’t even see me coming, didn’t know where I was. Her eyes turned completely blank as I beheaded her and threw her limp body in the fire. The scent was move vivid; I was much closer. I smiled at myself and went for Aro.

His hand caught my wrist midair and I heard a cracking sound as I felt him breaking it and letting it fall on the ground. I gasped in shock and took some steps back, reaching to put it back in place. Edward let go of the terrified vampire he was dealing with and was at my side instantly.

“Ahhh, Edward, good to have you nearby.” His eyes were still staring in the empty space between my head and Edward’s so Zafrina’s gift was working. I felt the venom sealing the wound as my hand was put in place and I clutched my fingers into fists to make sure it was working.

I let a low growl and tried to put Edward behind me but Edward gently put an arm around my waist to keep me in place.

“I’m not one of these inexperienced newborns that you’ve fought in the past. This wild vampires tricks mean nothing to me.” He said the word ‘wild’ as if he had to swallow human food; absolutely disgusted.

As if you’re the civilized one, monster! I wanted to say but I kept it inside my head.

“You’re armless now, Aro. Give up and save yourself,” Edward told him still not letting me go.

“Both of us know that this is a big lie. You won’t let me live no matter what. But if I kill you first…”

Without warning he jumped forward and although lacking any sense or orientation his moves were almost graceful and accurate. Edward pulled me back and hissed for me to get Carlisle or the Romanians. I looked around quickly, the enemies seemed to be back to reality little by little which meant that the effect of Zafrina’s power was wearing off. I spotted the Romanians first and run to them the soonest I could.

Stefan was wearing a sly grin on his face and Vladimir was smiling too; the smile not even close to reaching his eyes.

“Want to kill Aro? It’s your chance,” I said trying to sound braver but that odd, chalk like, gray tone of them was creeping me out as much as the first time.

I leaned against the stone wall behind me trying not to let my guard down. I was on the other side of the battlefield but again, just like when I was hidden behind my own friends and family, my enemies acted as if I was invisible. Ignoring me completely.

I put aside a curl that had fallen in front of my eyes as I ran and took deep breaths, as if it would calm me.

How many more were there? Where was Nessie?

My eyes scanned the battlefield once more, desperately looking for the sings of any new arrivals. Renesmee and Jacob’s. I only caught a glimpse of Emma fighting side to side with Seth with… Caius!

But I thought he was dead!

He was more alive than ever –at least as alive a vampire can be– and fighting, focusing on Seth. I knew that he disliked the wolves, he had shown it clearly from the very beginning. He glanced up, at something close to me and then ran away, disappearing into the woods. He gave up. He ran away. He thinks his side doesn’t stand a chance.

I heard steps on a small patch of grass behind me; a sound too low for human ears to hear. I was about to growl but a hand clapped against my mouth. A blonde woman with milky, red eyes.

“I mean no harm. I have to warn you.” Her voice was low and she was talking fast, so fast that I barely understood her. “Promise you won’t cause any trouble or shout if I remove my hand?”

I rolled my eyes and wished I could reply but I just nodded.

“What do you want?” I turned around so that I was really facing her and the memory hit me. She was one of the dark cloaked wives, hidden behind the crowd in the trial. Probably Caius’ mate.

Her gaze wandered down at the real battlefield and a small smile of satisfaction lit up her face. “I see you’re wining. That’s good.”

“Aren’t you supposed to try to kill me right now?” was all I managed to say shocked by the fact that my hands and head were still in place.

“Bella, I told you I am here for your side’s benefit. The half breeds and the wolf are on their way. And actually you will soon see that they will come through the passage behind you.” A long, perfectly manicured fingernail pointed towards a small black hole behind me. I shuddered at the memory of that dark passage in Volterra, the one I was left to fall into, right into the darkness and Alice caught me before I touched the ground and broke every single bone on myself. I could feel the old, cool air coming from the opening brushing my bare ankles and looked on inside intently.

“Why are you helping us?” I asked suspiciously.

“Because Aro got the power he wanted and used it the wrong way. I want this to stop.” Her words seemed so simple and rational, almost making it impossible to imagine that she was part of the guard. Even less one of the wives.

“When you said the half breeds and the wolf you meant… Renesmee, Jacob and–”

She interrupted me and finished, “–yes all of them. All the others too.” I felt like a weight was raised from my chest and inhaled deeply. I felt so relieved to know that all of them were safe! “That wild vampire… the vision maker… who is she?” I caught her staring at Zafrina, more fascinated than scared.

“Zafrina. But why…”

“Do I care? Well, she is powerful. I guess the distraction won’t be needed after all.” I saw a peaceful look on her face even if she was gazing down at horror.

I couldn’t help but look her with troubled eyes, wondering what was going on in her ancient head.

“I will probably die tonight. By your side will it be? By my own? I’m a traitor after all. That’s what happens to traitors. They die.”

“Traitor? To whom?”

“The Volturi. How do you think that the half breeds and the wolf escaped?” I didn’t really know. The time I had talked with any of them was limited, even more when it came to escape details. I just knew that they somehow made it.

“I don’t know,” I finally admitted.

“Sulpicia and me gave them money and instructions to get through the city. They almost made it. And now we helped them again. Fooled the guards and freed them. We had a plan for the battle. To give it the wanted outtake. To fulfill the scenario the way both of us imagined. Your side wining.”

“Plan? So you knew that we were coming?” As the time passed I was getting used to her presence, not as a thread, only as someone interesting to be close to. She had a lot to tell. And I was not scared that she’d stab my back when in turned around anymore.

“The ‘Main Distraction’. That’s how we had named it. We’d go in front of everyone and admit our treachery. Our side would be shocked. Stunned even. They would have never seen it coming. But now… Aro gone… Caius also…” I caught the sad tone on her voice as she said Caius’ name. I personally held no preference for Caius, I believed he was just as horrible but seeing her like that hurt me.

“Caius isn’t gone,” I spitted out before I could think clearly. “He ran away. He’s alive.”

“Really?” There was honest shock in her voice, and something else… Relief? “I– I think that I will try finding him later. If I make it out of here alive. So where was I? Oh, yeah. The treachery. Yes. It would probably get both of us killed. Me and Sulpicia. But… It would gain enough time for you to get rid of most vampires in the meantime. But this vision maker… She did what we were intending to do. There are like seven of us left. Me and Sulpicia included.”

“We will not kill you. We would be eternally grateful to you,” I said honestly.

“Don’t worry about us. We have dealt with the idea of death. It will be more like something that should have happened many years ago. It will be like a sleep. I haven’t slept for thousands of years. I missed it.”

Could someone get tired of eternity? Want to get rid of it?

Without moving her look from Zafrina she answered the question I never spoke aloud, “Maybe, if I lived under other circumstances, spent the eternity with someone else it would be different. Just maybe. I have seen too many mistakes, monstrosities, to forgive my kind, my existence. A rest would be nice.”

“So you don’t really want to go with Caius.” It was not a question.

“I do. Maybe if we get a fresh start, away from Aro’s influence he will be different. I don’t mean that he was innocent. No, he’s far from that. But maybe the lust for power and this goose hunt for world domination will get crossed out from his ambition list if he doesn’t have Aro accessing his head and finding his weak points all the time. But then again. If I’m wrong… I won’t get another chance like this.” Her eyes looked blankly at the fire and I could see the jumping flames mirroring in her pupils.

“I think you should give it a chance,” I encouraged.

I still was trying to understand how I could have such a calm conversation during that battle. My shield was still covering everyone, my job being much easier now that almost everyone was out of the way. Marcus shouldn’t be much of a problem. Neither the other two vampires that were fighting with the wolves. But there were two hiding. Two that we couldn’t allow to live and do more harm. The witch twins. Alec and Jane.

I opened my mouth to say something but just then I heard a small snarl and before I could process what was happening a fox came into view. With big, blue eyes. And behind her A russet mass of fur. Jacob. And Renesmee.

My baby girl was in my arms before neither of us knew it. If I could cry it would be impossible to stop right now. I hugged her tightly and held her close to me whispering to her that it was all over. We were together and nothing could separate us.

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Red Moon ~ Chapter 23 ~ Held Captive - Jacob's POV

Chapter 23: Held Captive

~Jacob’s Point Of View~

I felt her. She was looking for me. I knew my imprint was fine from the very first moment; she was safe and sound. But she was away from me. They had held us separated to cause us unease. That’s what they wanted, they knew that split we were weaker and more vulnerable. She was trying to tell me something, I wanted to respond so badly and I focused all my thoughts on how much I loved her hoping she would feel it. We had to find a way to communicate. Where was she?

When I came around I was in a big room with cold stone walls and a gloomy, faint, bluish lighting. Somewhere near me water drops were falling from the ceiling making a soft splashing sound every so and then. Phillip and Cole were also here. Since Cole realized his arms were tied with chains he was struggling to break them and the ringing sound of the chains was echoing in the creepy dungeon. I heard Phillip chuckling silently murmuring it was no use doing it accompanied by one of his very dramatic sighs. His attitude always reminding me Jasper a little, silent and distant but knowing a lot. He didn’t share much except if it was necessary and right now according to his judgment it wasn’t one of these necessary moments.

I focused again on Renesmee. Our bond had grown during all this adventure. I had seen her grow every day and had been torturing myself on how I should explain her about the imprint thing without getting a bad reaction from her. She couldn’t stand being bossed around most times -just like her mother- let alone being told that her fate is to be with me, that she was my soulmate. She’d never accept it like that. That was my little Nessie. I chuckled to myself. Yet this time that I feared but wanted so much to come never came the way I thought. I was wasting so much time planning how to do it the right way, find the perfect time and place to tell her and instead it came here, so easily, so naturally, so unpredictably! How she fell in my arms, her desperate need to make sure I was fine, almost as strong as mine for her was! Then it all came easily, she knew about the imprint stuff, god knows how, and she just accepted it, she had feelings for me and I knew they were real, not forced because of the imprint magic. Even in Volterra, inside the leeches’ lair it was the happiest day of my life. We had this talk with Bella and Edward a year ago and they had asked me to wait for her feelings to show before I’d tell her anything. I knew they hoped that it would take years for Renesmee to find out. I was patient though. I waited like they asked me to. But it proved that she had figured out already. When we were in Volterra I struggled with the want to tell her, but still I’d keep my word to Bella and Edward. Mostly because I promised Bella… I knew Edward would react badly no matter if I kept my word or not. He let me be close because I could take care of her and keep her safe but if there was a choice he wouldn’t want me as his baby girl’s boyfriend. Just like he didn’t want me for Bella (for obvious reasons). I would keep my mouth shut, but she came and told me. I was shocked she knew at first but learned not to be surprised by my little Nessie. Ever. She was the cleverest girl I knew. Maybe it was the imprint talking but that’s how I saw it.

“Oh, will you stop it already? You’re giving me a headache, Cole!” Phillip groaned in frustration placing his hands on each side of his head.

“Seriously? We need to break these chains, we need to escape, Phillip!” There was more passion in his voice than I had heard him have before and it seemed odd. I didn’t know him too well but he was always the cool guy who would chill out and say that everything would be alright with his way to sneak into the past and reveal what others did in his place before. I was hoping for something like that again.

“So what’s the plan? How do we break the chains?” I asked coming back to the surface after this long dive into a sea of thoughts.

The fire in his eyes disappeared. I hadn’t seen his face have such an expression again. Not even when he had that fight with Eshe. He looked bad then but he had a smug look on his face at the same time, his usual, be cool, ‘it’s gonna be fine’ expression. Call it a feeling, call it knowing more? No matter what, he knew then that things were going to get back to normal. As normal as they could at least.

I laughed mentally with how ordinary my life seemed for the last six years compared to the last month. This was even bigger than what had happened a little after Renesmee’s first Christmas… I was almost driven nuts by all these leeches being at the Cullen’s place! But I ignored them and they ignored me, so everyone was happy. Sort of. I was glad they came though. I don’t think that the Volturi would think twice if the witnesses were less. We were big in numbers then. Even for the Volturi. I thought about my pack. Sam’s pack. All the new wolves. The fact that the Cullens were so close for the next year after Renesmee’s birth had caused many young Quileutes to phase and our packs to increase their numbers. We could outnumber the Volturi on our own right now. Or that’s what I thought. The Volturi seem to have resurrected new members also. Some really gifted vampires too. I was observing them when I was “patrolling” for the leeches. Obviously they didn’t let me phase in danger of trying to escape, they just had me as a decorative guard in a hall. I would have never done this for any reason but Nessie. Her life was hanging from that.

I stopped the internal monologue I was having and looked at Cole’s look. His face looked tired and confused, something was too complicated even for him.

“I don’t know,” he admitted trying to keep any emotion from his voice.

“What do you mean you don’t know? Hasn’t anyone tried it?” Phillip asked impatiently having lost his sarcastic tone.

“Yes. Many actually; vampires. But didn’t make it. Some joined the Volturi; the rest died.” He flinched as if he was seeing the scene this very moment. “The Volturi have the keys. That’s the only way out.”

“So what? We’re stuck?!” Phillip was beginning to lose his patience. He used to see everything as if it was pointless but when we escaped he had changed the way he was looking at things.

It felt strange for me too. Every time before when we seemed to be stuck we found a way out. There was a little window. Just like we escaped from Alice’s vision –at least the part about the Cullens’ death-, just like we run away from Volterra. There should be a chance again!

“Yeah, we are.”

“Sounds good,” I said letting irony and anger fill my voice. I was close to losing my temper and my hands were shaking. Renesmee’s picture came to my mind, her big, brown eyes, her bronze curls, her angelic face… I seemed to calm down a little. “We need to talk to the girls,” I continued “Any idea where they are?”

“What do you think I am? Mister-Know-All?” He glared at me annoyed and shook my head in order to cover myself chuckling silently at the thought that I had heard Eshe calling him that before.

“Renesmee’s looking for me. I can feel it.” I said and focused again on her, trying to find a way inside her head. I closed my eyes and imagined that I was holding her warm, petite body close to me.

“What do you mean? Can she get inside your head?” Cole’s interest sparked again while Phillip was back at looking at us with an amused expression on his face and his mouth shaped into a ghostly smile.

“Kind of. She’s calling me,” I tried explaining.

“Then we found a way to talk to them!”

“I don’t know if she can feel me. I’m the one who imprinted on her after all, not the other way round.” I said disappointed but felt a spark of annoyance that felt not being mine. Maybe Nessie was feeling things from me after all.

“Can you try?”

I nodded though I wasn’t sure about it. We’ve only had exchanged feelings. And the link between us felt really thin and fragile. We had just found out about it. Then an idea sneaked inside my head. There was someone I had a closest bond with! In another way, but still! Eshe! I could get into her head if I phased. But…

“I need Eshe to phase,” I said aloud and felt Cole’s eyes on me.

“Why?”

I thought for a while trying to find the right words to explain but he figured it out on his own soon enough.

“Is it this thing that lets you talk when you’ve phased?” he asked in a weird tone. Was it jealousy in his voice? Seriously?

“Yeah, that’s how I thought about it.” I agreed waiting for him to look like his calm, relaxed self again but his face didn’t seem to change expression. “Dude, relax, I’m not going to steal your girl! What we have is a wolf thing. Well, animal thing. Whatever. Do you think I could ever look at anyone but Nessie this way? Seriously?”

His look turned almost apologetic. “I don’t know what’s gotten into me, Jacob, sorry.”

“A little green demon called Jealousy, my friend,” said Phillip stoically.

I raised an eyebrow at him but then let it go. I had to make Nessie tell Eshe to phase. Alright, time to focus. I wasn’t sure I could show her directly my thoughts but I had to try.

‘Nessie, honey? Can you hear me?’ I concentrated as hard as I could on her, trying to make sure she’d get the message if that was possible.

In respond I felt curiosity from her. Did that mean that she heard my thought? I felt excited from the possibilities, a way to communicate other than mind reading or the way I could talk with my pack and Eshe. Nessie’s feelings made me turn my full attention back on her.

‘Could you ask Eshe to phase?’ I could just hope she did really get the message.

I opened my eyes and saw the curious look on Cole’s and Phillip’s faces.

“Did it work?”

“Maybe.” I felt Nessie’s excitement. Was it because she figured out why I asked her to tell Eshe to phase? Was she just happy I could feel her? I wasn’t sure but I hoped my plan was working.

“Shouldn’t you phase to see if it really worked?” Phillip asked.

“Oh, yeah, I should.” I nodded and both of them turned the other side. I was glad for that because even if I’d been used to be naked in front of other people, they were my pack, Cole and Phillip were not.

I let my jeans on the floor but because of the chains around my wrists I couldn’t take off the shirt. It wouldn’t make it… Poor shirt. I thought I was over the clothes-ripping period of my life. I let the heat take over me and I felt my body shifting. Soon enough four paws were touching the stone floor. It hadn’t been too long since I had phased again but I liked the feeling. It just felt so normal in this entirely insane situation we’ve been into. Except the pressure on my two front legs. The chains felt too tight on my wolf legs, they obviously weren’t planned for something like that. I would have bruises on my wrists but I could worry about it later.

Usually I’d feel overwhelmed from the thoughts of another member of my pack. It always used to bother me how I couldn’t find peace inside my head and run in wolf form at the same time most times but I had to feel this eerie silence to value the buzz of my pack’s thoughts. I wasn’t sure if Eshe was here or not, I couldn’t hear everything going on inside her head. When it first happened I was so shocked, it was the very last thing I was expecting. Yet, I had to face a blue eyed fox, which was really capable of talking to me in some way. I sighed and did the only thing I could to check if Eshe had truly phased.

‘Eshe? Can you hear me?’

I was waiting for the response but it didn’t come. I looked at Cole and saw him shifting uneasily in his place. Like something in my eyes startled him. It was just as weird as seeing him losing his controlled expression; it was simply looking out of place.

“How is it going?” he asked anxiously trying to hide the weak look he had before.

I shook my head disappointed.

‘Eshe? Please, if you’re there just tell, I don’t think we have time for jokes,’ I thought in the most serious tone I could, feeling tempted to use my Alpha voice although I wasn’t sure that it would have an effect on her. I pictured the dungeon inside my head, Phillip, Cole –especially Cole; if she was joking I am sure that he’d draw her attention– wishing she’d just answer.

I felt frustrated and thought about trying to ask Nessie again. But it wouldn’t do any more good than the first time right? Let alone that the bond might be weaker in my wolf form. I mean, alright, because of being able to shift to a wolf I have the imprint but since being a wolf can help me distance myself from everything human doesn’t it mean that it makes me distance a little away from Renesmee? The thought made my body ache but when I brought her image to my memory I was sure I was wrong. It was nothing like that.

‘Nessie, love? Please, try understanding me. Please… Tell Eshe to phase,’ I pleaded again inside my head, wishing it would work this time.

‘No need, Jacob, I’m here,’ Eshe mused.

‘Are you kidding me?’

‘No, I really am here,’ she repeated.

‘Were you here all along?’

‘No, I just phased. I was trying to figure out with Dawn and Nessie why you might want me to phase, silly.’  

How can she be so light mooded in such a situation? I thought shocked. She was the first person I’d expect to be freaked out!

‘Trust me I’m not light mooded. I’m freaking out. Badly. You don’t want to see everything inside my head.’

‘Hey, how did you see that inside my head? You weren’t supposed to see that!’

‘You’re losing your temper, Jacob. You show me things you didn’t really want to show.’ She giggled and I just widened my eyes in surprise. SERIOUSLY? Eshe giggling right now?!

‘Oh, seriously, Jacob, that’s how my mind goes, I have to think of something positive. It’s a need. Now, what are we supposed to be talking about?’

I was thinking about Nessie again. I had showed her Cole. Shouldn’t she show me Nessie as a payback? I didn’t know if it was right to ask her something like that, it was kind of selfish, considering that I showed her Cole only for my personal gain anyway. Surprisingly she sighed and smiled and then it was as if I could see through her eyes.

She was in gloomy dungeon, like the one I found myself into, and it looked cold and big, my eyes couldn’t find the wall on the other side of the room. Dawn was observing Eshe with curious eyes, trying to find out what she was telling me. Then I saw her. She was sitting on the floor, legs crossed in front of her chest, a sea of red ringlets falling in waist length. If she was anywhere else I’d say she was daydreaming, I’d recognize that expression everywhere. Unexpectedly she turned around and I felt as if she was looking at me. Like she could pierce her way through Eshe’s eyes to reach mine. I felt as if I was drowning in them. A wave of happiness overwhelmed me but it wasn’t my own emotion. Not only at least. It was something I was sharing with her at the moment. I sighed content to see her safe but then Eshe’s voice reached me.

‘Hey? Focus? I’d never imagine I’d say this to you! Most times it happens the other way round,’ she joked. ‘C’mon, Cole figured out a way to get out of these things already?’ she asked moving her paw in such a way that caused the chains to ring in the dungeon, the echo coming back over and over again.

‘No. That was something we hoped you’d have figured out somehow. Where are you?’

‘He… he did not?’ she didn’t bother to cover the shock in her thoughts. ‘In Dracula’s lair, I suppose.’

‘Do you believe it’s really the time for jokes?’ I really didn’t believe that the comedian inside her picked the right time to come out and play.

‘No way! Who talked about jokes? I just am trying to prepare myself for whatever’s gonna happen in a cheerful way. I don’t want to die scared, Jake!’ This time she sounded really upset. She’d burst into tears.

‘Eshe, you’re not dying. We… we’ll find a way,’ I tried to assure her. ‘The Cullens-’

‘The Cullens are coming for war. And bring company with them too. Your pack and a bunch of vampires.’

I remained silent trying to process what she was saying me. How did I miss all this?

‘What do you mean?’

‘Didn’t Cole explain you already? Gosh, Jake, do you think they’re coming to try and ask politely the Volturi to give us back? That happens only when a five year old steals another five year old’s doll! They’re coming to kill the Volturi. That’s why Cole had been training me the other day. I had zero fighting experience. I’m gonna die for sure in the fight, but please don’t tell Cole. I don’t want him to know.’

I felt so overwhelmed by all this. Her panic was flooding right into me. And what did she mean? I mean she wasn’t experienced but she was skilled. She had chances. And I bet the fight would be halfway finished before managed to get there. We’d probably not take part in the fight at all. I mean we were stuck down here. Chain locked.

‘Eshe, you’re not going to die. None of us is going to.’

‘Yeah, right,’ she thought.

‘I mean it. Can you think about it for a second? Do you remember the way you punched Alec? And when you were fighting with Victor?’

‘Did you see? I thought you were fighting with Demetri.’

‘I was. But I was also keeping tags on all of you. You were awesome.’

‘Jane knocked me out in a matter of seconds when I dared to lay a finger on Alec. And I ended up losing to Victor again,’ she sounded really disappointed. I wasn’t doing a good job cheering her up. She shifted her weight from the one side to the other and an ‘OUCH!’ echoed loud and clear inside her head when she leaned on her right side.

‘Eshe, are you hurt?’

“Eshe? What’s wrong?” Nessie and Dawn asked together.

She gave them a pained look and shook her head.

‘I’m fine, Jacob,’ she said inside her head but even this way it sounded as if she was gritting her teeth.

‘Yeah, sure. I’m not buying that. Where are you hurt?’

‘Shoulder,’ she finally admitted, ‘I think it got out of its place.’

‘Does it hurt a lot?’

‘What? Did you become a doctor all of a sudden?’ she snapped at me.

‘Will you tell me?’ This girl had the remarkable talent to get me out of my clothes in record time!

‘Only when I put pressure on it.’

‘Did you ask Nessie or Dawn to push it back in place?’

‘What? Are you serious? Of course not!’

‘They have to. Or it won’t heal right.’

‘And you know that because…?’

‘I had some severe injuries some years ago when I took part in a fight with newborns and remember what Carlisle did.’ I made my voice serious because that was what she should think right now. That it was serious. She could have severe problems if she didn’t fix that shoulder soon.

‘But it’s gonna hurt!’

‘I know Eshe, but it needs to get fixed! Phase back before it gets worse!’

‘And how are we going to communicate?’

‘We’ll find a way. For the time being tell Ness and Dawn about the shoulder and ask them to help. I will ask Cole about the fight thing. Did you tell the girls?’

‘Not yet-’

‘Tell them,’ I cut her. ‘It’s important that they know right now. Phase back as soon as you can, I promise I will be here.’

‘Please, don’t tell Cole.’

‘I won’t.’

‘Do you promise?’

‘Yes.’

I gave a last glance at my Nessie before her image faded away. I stood a little there, motionless, thinking about Eshe’s shoulder. I could have told her how to put it back but I was afraid to give her instructions. What if I told her something wrong? I would cause her to hurt herself worse. Nessie knew more, Carlisle had showed the basics. And they had also this first aid lesson at school. Yes, she was the safest choice.

“Jacob? What is she saying? Is everything alright?” Cole asked, having lost all of his patience. He still avoided my look; with a first glance I thought he was staring directly in my eyes but then I realized he focused on the wall behind me instead. I really wondered what was wrong with him.

I wanted to stay in my wolf form for longer but the chains had begun bothering me and my front paws had started numbing from the pressure. I phased back and quickly pulled up my shorts and rubbed my wrists.

“Ah… Much better.” I sighed in relief.

My wrists had turned a little purplish like I expected but it faded quickly… I loved how quickly my body healed. I chuckled remembering me showing Bella… She was still human and we were in Charlie’s kitchen when I run the knife over my palm making a deep cut. She almost killed me for doing that.

“So… how did it go? Was she there?”

“Yes, she was.” I assured Cole.

“She was…” I hesitated, feeling tempted to tell him about her shoulder or her fears about the fight but I promised I wouldn’t so I kept my mouth shut. “…fine. She’s with Nessie and Dawn.”

“Figures.” Phillip said.

‘Guys, can you hear me?’ the most angelic voice reached my head. Renesmee! She was using her gift! How hadn’t I thought about it before?

I thought ‘yes’ inside my head and just hoped she understood it.

“Was this Nessie?” Phillip asked.

“Yes,” I agreed.

“She must be close. Her power wouldn’t reach us if she was too far, right?”

“I think Phillip’s right, Jacob,” Cole chimed in.

I nodded thinking about it. She was not only safe but close too! That made me smile. I wanted to ask about Eshe, what happened with her shoulder but I promised no word would reach Cole. Hopefully he wouldn’t get a flash of it with this psycho-whatever power of his.

‘Jake, baby, I think that only you are listening now,’ she was whispering even if she was inside my head. ‘Eshe told us about… The shoulder. I helped her fix it. Although I don’t think she’s going to thank neither me nor you until she starts forgetting how painful it is it put it back.’ I heard her mentally chuckle and then showed me Eshe groaning from the pain and ironically murmuring, “Thanks, Jake, really thanks!”

I felt sorry for her. I knew what she was going through, that newborn had crashed almost every bone to the tiniest one in me that day. It was the worst pain I’d ever been physically through.

‘And she also told us about what my family’s planning. Did Cole explain to you already?’ She stopped and I turned to look at Cole.

“I think there’s something you gotta explain, Cole. Will you tell me about the war my pack and the Cullens are planning?”  

He took a deep sigh and begun.

* * * * *

After three days being here became a torture. The Volturi didn’t bother with feeding us which gave me a really hard time. Phillip and the girls seemed to be fine since they had fed on blood recently but Cole and I were having a hard time with this. My stomach was constantly protesting and being held captive by the Volturi didn’t seem like a good enough excuse for it.

“I bet that if they go on for a little longer I will start chewing the walls!” I murmured and rubbed my wrists.

I had just phased back again and my wrists felt numb just like every time I phased. I was talking with Eshe, whose shoulder was getting better. It was almost fully healed. She was still very upset about the fight and I couldn’t make her believe in herself but she felt better when I showed her Cole although they never spoke. I knew how it felt like needing someone by your side and not being able to have them, it was happening to me and Nessie too.

“Mind if I join you?” Cole asked trying to lighten the mood.

“Not at all.”

We’ve been spending the biggest part of the day saying such jokes; there was nothing else to do in this depressing and dark dungeon. Of course we had also the upcoming battle to think about. When I was phasing to talk to Eshe, I was also looking for my pack, or Sam, but I couldn’t sense neither of them. I wish I had some contact with the outside world, anything. I had a lot of time to think, because of the silence but also to distract myself from my always growing hunger. I was wondering how everyone was doing, where they were right now, how did they react when they found out that the Volturi were there before them, what happened with Melanie… How was this baby girl doing? I get it for us, but kidnap a baby?! How dare the Volturi do that! I was worried about her. I suppose we’d know if they had found her…

The sound of voices startled me; it was a surprise to hear anyone but us talk down here. I didn’t even know if there were guards. I stretched forward trying to listen to the conversation, but only caught words or phrases of it.

“For crying out loud! I am… Don’t care about the crisis! Let… pass! You are going to get in… trouble… disobey me!” The voice was a woman’s, someone who recently was removed from my black list. Sulpicia.

Her vampire scent burned my nose but I felt relief we had some allies in here. Except if she wasn’t here to help.

Before the guard’s protests could start again I heard keys turning into a lock and a door opened. How had I missed a whole door? And it wasn’t any tiny, Rabbit’s-In-Wonderland-House’s door! It was a huge, wooden door! I suppose it never attracted my attention since there was no sound coming from it ever before.

The corridor outside was almost as dark as the inside of the dungeon letting only very little light come in; barely enough to make out the outline of her body. She closed the door behind her and I realized why I hadn’t heard anything before from outside. The walls were too thick, almost soundproof. She must haven shouting in order to hear her. She placed a finger in front of her mouth asking us to keep silent and she came closer.

My gut was telling me it was alright although the wolf inside me would happily tear her apart and throw her into a blazing bonfire. I knew she was a friend though.

“Athenodora is freeing the girls as we speak so be quiet and make everything easier for me. The castle is being attacked… by vampires as well as others of your kind, son of the wolf.” That was a shock. So there was a fight and we didn’t even know!

She reached for the chains on my wrists and unlocked them with an old, silver, rusty key and then did the same for Cole and Phillip.

“Thank you,” Phillip said and I was sure it was the first and last time he would be nice to someone from the Volturi.

She nodded and begun talking again, “After you exit the room I cannot help you any further. I need to hide my part in this until the right time comes. For the final distraction. Until then nobody should know that I helped you. Am I clear?” she asked and we nodded. “Now take this…” she handed Cole an old fashioned, gold clock with a golden chain, “…and wait until the clock points exactly at eleven. I suppose you have lost the sense of time in here, so you should know that it is night outside.”

Cole flipped the clock’s cover open and looked at the time. Ten to eleven. Just enough time for Sulpicia and Athenodora to disappear and remove any kind of suspicions about them being accused for freeing us.

“Athenodora will tell the same things to the girls so you must pay attention to the time. There used to be five guards before your room and five more in front of the girls’ room but now there are only three left in each. You will probably not meet other vampires on your way out but the outside is a real battlefield. Be careful. There are no vampires with gifts from the guard left inside because all of them are outside. This works perfectly for you. When you exit, the guards will be surprised but remember that our kind can’t be surprised for too long.” She stopped for a second to let all the instructions sink in. “You need to fight too; your people will need as much help as they can get.”

“Of course we will,” I assured her.

“What is going to be your part in the fight?” Phillip asked suspiciously.

“Nothing that would be against you. I will try not to participate until the final distraction. If I am forced to, I suppose I am going to die by someone of you. If everything works as I have planned I will be killed by someone from our guard.”

“By ‘our’ you mean the Volturi?” Cole asked.

“Yes.”

“What is this whole ‘big distraction’ thing about?” The piece of me that made me Alpha was reeling, trying to figure out as many details as possible about the battle. I had to do it for the safety of the pack.

“It will be your big chance to take down most of them. That’s all you need to know at the moment.”

I frowned obviously expecting more.

“Don’t worry, young Alpha, you know all that you need to for the moment. Knowing more will not help you anymore when the time comes,” she said mysteriously and the thought of being tricked crossed my mind.

“Are you trying to fool us?” I eyed her carefully but her milky, red eyes didn’t move an inch away.

“Do I look like I am?” she asked back in her most honest voice.

I pushed my lips together and shook my head hoping I wasn’t putting us in more danger than we already were.

“Young vampire, do you think you can figure the way out of here or do you need further explanations to get out?” This time she was talking to Cole.

“I can do it.” He looked sure and confident about it and I hoped he really knew what to do.

“Oh, and Gianna gave me these.” She threw at us some small packages wrapped in a white napkins that smelled like sandwiches. I unwrapped mine. Yep. Sandwiches.

“Hope they taste… good,” she said with a smirk on her face and Phillip shared with her an understanding look. “Good luck. I will see you outside.”

I nodded and after she got outside I begun eating my sandwich. I had gone insane all these days without food!

“You can have mine too,” Phillip offered with a disgusted look on his face. I cannot believe that he can eat food and he picks blood instead! Cole took it and cut it in two, a piece for me and a piece for him and mine had vanished before I realized.

“We have three minutes,” Cole informed us.

“I’d better phase,” I announced.

“Yes, you should.”

“One of you two should get the torch from there,” I said pointing at the faint light that was on the other side of the room, “Trust me, it’s going to be really useful.”

Phillip reached for it carefully and returned with it in his hand. The flame wasn’t weak as I thought it was; the room was just too big and the wall too far away for the light to reach us.

“When it is exactly eleven you’re going to tell us and I will go for the door, Cole, okay?” I asked quickly wanting to clear everything and finally phased.

“Alright. We have one minute,” he said.

I dumped my shorts on the floor, not wanting anything to slow me down during the battle and felt my body stretching and warming up quickly and soon enough I had phased. The pain that phasing caused me was almost unnoticeable after all these years. Cole was silently counting seconds while Phillip was leaning against the wall waiting for Cole’s signal.

“… Two, one, go!”

I didn’t need to wait for him to say the words, I had begun the countdown on my own. I leaped forward and took the whole door down, leaving only some wooden boards hanging from the hinges.

I didn’t hesitate when I saw the two big, shocked, bloody red eyes, I ripped his arms off of his body and threw them aside. With the corner of my eye I saw Phillip who was not actively taking part in the fight approaching the detached limps and setting them on fire. The vampire tried kicking me but I bit his leg and threw him against the wall and then Phillip burned the rest of him.

“Phillip! Over here!” Cole motioned at him to throw the torch and after some graceful spins in the air it landed in Cole’s palm.

He was trying to take down the second guard and he was doing fine on his own so I didn’t interfere. Instead I turned against the last guard. I flew on her, definitely not in the playful way I used to do to Nessie and prepared myself to rip her head off.

“Please! Please! Don’t!” the vampire pleaded and I was sure I had seen her before. She was new and not really trusted; she was one of Aro’s decorative guards, just to make the coven look bigger. No wonder if they killed her soon anyway. “Please, I didn’t want any of this! Don’t kill me!” she pleaded again.

As I stopped to think about actually letting her live I realized that I was not alone. My pack’s so familiar thoughts filled my head, as if they were surrounding me. Seth, Leah, Quil, Embry and the newest member, Jolie, were all there, fighting. I caught glimpses of the Volturi guards being torn apart and thrown into big fires, the night sky filling with smoke.

The vampire found a chance to shove me off of her chest and threw me against the wall with the strength only a newborn could have. As I suspected she was brand new. I hit hard but my body healed quickly; before I had to make another attack Phillip ripped her head off and grabbing another lit torch that was hanging from the side of the tunnel he burned her. She screamed in agony before her body was turned to ashes and that odd, sweet smell of burned vampire spread around the corridors. Cole’s vampire had also ended up to be ashes on the floor and after a small nod we continued from the side we heard more snarls and growls.

Dawn was going in circles with a vampire, Corin, both trying to attack. Eshe –in her fox form– leaped on Corin’s back, knocking him down and giving Dawn the time to rip arms off. Phillip run towards them helping them get rid of him.

‘Got it, Jake, help Nessie,’ Eshe told me, mentally winking as she was busy finishing Corin off.

I turned to look at my Nessie. At the moment my eyes fell on her she was throwing Heidi a strong punch in the face causing her to fly against the wall. Heidi glared at her furiously as she got up in vampire speed. Before she could reach her I jumped in front of Nessie, crouching protectively before my mate. I growled at Heidi whose eyes were flickering quickly from me to Nessie and from Nessie to me over and over again. A small smile played on her lips but I knew it wouldn’t last long. Without bothering with her arms I reached for her head throwing it on the floor. I exchanged a quick look with Nessie and she took a torch, lighting Heidi up. The flames were soon replaced by thin smoke that was floating in the air.

I should have known she’d come for Nessie. She wanted payback more than anything. I thought to myself shaking my head. Heidi got what she deserved.

Sure she did, bro, Quil agreed inside my head.

Yeah, we watched the whole thing, Embry thought and the image of him struggling with Felix flashed inside my mind. 

How are things over there? I asked although I had a pretty clear image of the battlefield from my pack’s heads.

We’re doing great! I haven’t had such fun since the fight with the newborns! This time it was Leah who thought that. I still couldn’t believe she did come for us. I thought she loved her normal life with the university and the real, human interaction. Of course I love my normal life! But sometimes I need to let my wild side get out, she exclaimed.

Seth whistled inside his head while he threw in the fire another vampire.

What are you whistling at? Leah asked annoyed.

You had to let your wild side out? Why, when was it in to let it out?

Even in the battle the typical pack talk was taking place and I was glad to see that. I felt good, as if it was something ordinary. Almost.

I let my pack and their fight to return to my own fight that was over.

“We need to follow the path straight from this side and then there’s a wooden staircase on your left.” Cole had begun giving instructions. “It’s half hidden so be careful or we’re going to miss it.”

Eshe was thinking about Cole and how much she liked it when he had that leader like expression on his face…

‘Eshe, can you stop it? I’m hearing everything!’ I shouted inside her head.

‘Really? Sorry, Jacob, I had no idea!’ she said embarrassed and looked the other way.

‘It’s okay.’

Jacob? Did you speak with Sam? It was Jolie. I hadn’t talked to her for over a month, we weren’t really close, she had just chosen my pack over Sam’s only because Leah was in it.

No, where is he?

An image of a big, black, hairy mass, Sam, fighting with someone filled my vision.

I’d better not distract him, I said.

Are you serious? He said he wanted to talk to you as soon as you appeared! If you did. She didn’t mean to let me hear the last sentence but there wasn’t much she could do about it.

Oh… Are you sure? He looks pretty absorbed from the fight.

Just. Talk. To. Him! She gritted her teeth as she jumped out of another vampire’s way. She struggled for a long time picturing his raven black fur inside her head while she was fighting forcefully with a blond bloodsucker.

‘Sam?’ I asked hesitantly not wanting to disturb him while fighting, or even worse, be the reason he got distracted and injured.

‘Jacob! Finally you’re here! Are you alright?’ he asked with excitement that wasn’t quite reaching his voice. He was too absorbed from the fight.

‘Of course!’ I assured him and was ready to fill him in when Eshe’s voice interrupted. And not only inside my head.

‘This is Sam?’

‘You must be the fox girl,’ he stated. ‘I’ve heard a lot about you.’

‘Really?’ I don’t think she meant to show it but an image of her cheeks flushing pink crossed my mind.

‘I think that you two are going to have time to get to know each other better after the fight. Don’t you both agree?’ I chimed in, not wanting to ruin the moment but knowing I should.

‘Alright why don’t you fill me in quickly then?’ Sam asked.

Me and Eshe agreed and tried to show him all the things that happened during the time we were in the Volturi’s hands. We kept bombarding him with images and he would throw a comment here and there but was mostly taking in everything we had to show.

‘Okay, I see. Now I think I have the whole picture,’ he finally said. ‘Could you come outside? We could use some extra hands with the guard. Good thing that the new ones are not properly trained. Most of them haven’t been in a fight before.’

‘How could this be? The Volturi wouldn’t be this reckless,’ I exclaimed.

‘There hasn’t been an actual fight for a long time, Jacob. They haven’t had the chance to test them in the battlefield. If you think about it, they sent the gifted or older and more experienced to do all the ‘outside’ work.’

This could explain some things. In his talent hunt Aro had lost the real point. His lust for power had let his coven’s –this ‘ultimate coven’s’– vulnerabilities show. There was a huge gab in this brick wall, some that should have been sealed too long ago and couldn’t get fixed now. It was too late. It was falling apart already.

‘What worries me is not the gifts of their coven. Bella has us mostly protected from that. I don’t know if we can take down the ancients though. They know too much, they have had more fights than all of us put together.’

Little bits of panic flashed into my mind and I knew it was from Eshe. She had to be strong now though. I knew it was too much but she couldn’t buckle now. I promised not to tell Cole anything but this didn’t mean I’d let her like that.

‘Eshe? Listen to me!’ I shouted inside her and only her head, although my whole pack could hear anyway. ‘You need to focus. You’re a great fighter and just showed it yourself. We will let the ancients to the ones capable to kill them and if you’re lucky, the fight might be already over when we get there.’ I knew that this was a lie but if it would give her some hope I had to tell it.

‘You think so?’ Her voice trembled a bit but as I hoped she was feeling better in that thought.

‘I didn’t tell Cole anything. Now you should not let this fear take over you in exchange. You have to be strong because I know you can be that. You’ve shown it before.’

‘But it feels so much now. I don’t want anyone to help me, this means it would risk their lives. But I don’t know if I can make it all by myself either… It’s too much, do you understand what I mean?’ She could be sobbing now, if she was in her human form. I had to come up with something soon.

‘Do you know that you shouldn’t worry? Cole will be there. Just like I will be for Nessie. And for you. We’re all at the same side here, Eshe. We’re all capable of helping.’

‘I will try… Thanks.’ She didn’t sound completely convinced but that was all we could do for now.

‘Sam, please don’t tell anything that will freak her out in any way. Even if someone on our side dies, don’t tell her. She’s trying to handle with too much already,’ I whispered inside his head.

‘Alright,’ he half barked, fighting with Paul and Collin against two new vampires.

I took the lead, just wanting to show Cole we were ready to go and then backed a little to let him show us the way. The wooden staircase was where he had said it would be. His descriptions proved to be as accurate as someone’s could get; at a creepy rate even. As if he had been here before, when the truth is that he never had.

The old wooden stairs complained at my weight and the pressure I put on it, my wolf body was too heavy for their taste, unlike the feather light steps the vampires used to do to get down here. As we reached a higher level it became a little lighter, although the gloomy, dungeon like sensation this place was giving me hadn’t managed to leave yet. We walked up and up stairs, until we reached a really familiar chamber. Actually it was more like a hall. And the memories of us crossing it in the most careful way possible were still fresh on my mind. A breath away was Marcus’ chamber, as well as Nessie’s and the other half vampires’ ones on the other side of the corridor. The tunnel had a pipe-like shape, giving me the feeling that this could be part of the water pipes that were supposed to be used for the city’s needs in water. Little they could have known about this…

“We need to go to the garden. There’s a secret passage from there,” Cole explained.

“Why hadn’t you told us all along? It sounds safer than having to sneak to the wives’ tower from one of the ancients’ bedroom!” Dawn complained and gave him a glare.

“It used to be well guarded. That’s why. So, we might have company on the way, keep that in mind. Phillip, Dawn and Nessie keep the torches close. If we encounter anyone we’re going to need them,” he said holding his own torch a little higher to observe at the ceiling. And hell, good thing that he did!

I heard Eshe’s shocked growl escape her chest as she looked up. I could have never believed it but there they were, two more of them, stuck on the ceiling between too marble columns like spiders with their blood red eyes gleaming and sparkling at the flame’s light. Their looks lethal. They exchanged a quick look and after nodding at each other left the ceiling’s protection and jumped on the floor landing on their feet elegantly as if they’d been practicing for years. Maybe they had too. Both were female. The one had deep, black hair that was pulled into a ponytail but still reached her waist and the other was a redhead.

Their first reaction to us was shock, especially to my and Eshe’s unusual appearance. They must have heard about Aro’s ‘new toys’ –that’s how we were called even if I was in front of them and I really think they did enjoy that humiliating part of the situation too– but it was obvious that they had never seen us before. Obviously they did know what to do though.

The redhead bared her teeth at me and I growled back. I saw her pull herself into a protective crouch and then she leaped forward, but instead of going to me like I’d expected she jumped backwards, landing right in front of Phillip. He didn’t hesitate or flinch away though, a wry smile played on his face and then he tore her to pieces and burned her.

The sweet but nauseating scent of burning vampire flesh hit my nostrils again but it was almost welcomed by my nose after all this time. I had grown used to the awful scent of vampires anyway, but smelling them burn, although stinking, had its own charm. Especially when the burned ones weren’t these on our side.

The other one snarled furiously watching the wide eyed head of her vampire fellow turn into dust. I’d expect someone of the Volturi guard to be concentrated on us, but these two were either accidentally passing or really new and untrained. Aro had seriously lost the game many years ago. His backing down so eas…–well not really easily but his backing at all– at Renesmee’s trial was a shock according to Doctor Fangs and I don’t think that he was wrong. Something has been breaking this empire down and it was something internal; as we already knew no vampire dared to go against the Volturi from the outside.

She turned at the closest person to her; Nessie. Her upper lip curled to a hateful expression and exposing a row of sharp looking, white teeth.

I fought to keep a growl from escaping my chest and prepared to jump in front of her, to protect my imprint. As if an unseen force was there though, like an invisible hand held me back, I didn’t move. I didn’t have time to think about it because Eshe’s thoughts rang in my ears.

‘Let her do it. It’s her moment. She can handle it herself.’ She sounded certain about it and almost smiled as she watched the black haired vampire and Nessie moving in a tight circle until Nessie managed to make her move. The only move she needed to do.

The dark haired one joined her friend soon enough and we kept going. Nessie’s hand was buried in my thick fur all the while making both of us to feel better. And I knew. What had held me back was what she wanted. What she needed. Her desire to fight for herself. What my imprint bound was forcing me to do.

Cole had said already but seeing the passage, a wooden little door on the stone path half hidden by the roots of an ancient oak tree, but opening and leaving utter darkness reveal itself in its depths was a whole different thing. A cold current of air hit my face causing the fur on my muzzle to stir. It was like a huge gab with no bottom. And smelled so bad. Mould and I could see rust on the hinges of the door. This hadn’t been used for centuries. It was even worse than the passage in Marcus’ room! At least then my senses were weaker because I was in my human form. Now the stink hit me at full force. Yuck…

‘I know, right?’ Eshe sighed trying to keep her breath for as long as she could and then taking in a small amount of air.

I nodded and Nessie smiled realizing that an unspoken conversation that didn’t include her was taking place.

“And now what? Are we jumping right into the black hole and travel with our spaceship to a long lost universe?” The irony on Dawn’s voice covering almost perfectly her fear was obvious but still I couldn’t understand how a girl that had grown up in the wilderness of the Amazon rainforest under the protection of a local came up with a lost-in-space phrase. I guess I’d never know.

Images of someone in a round spaceship with glass all around it and view to blackness lit up with little shiny stars and planets here and there popped up inside my head and some aliens with red eyes and fangs greeted us and flew away in their own spaceship. I was sure that was Eshe’s doing… And then she called me a nerd! I swear this girl is either going insane at the fear of dying or she was simply always insane! I couldn’t decide which of them was because both matched perfectly. She might be insane but her fear making it worse. I smiled. Like I don’t have more important things to worry about than Eshe’s alien theories.

Of course you do, bro! How about finally helping us? Embry joked. I should have imagined my pack would be keeping an eye on me.

We’re coming. I assured them and could feel the anticipation in their thoughts.

Nessie looked at me worried and I rubbed my face against her leg to calm her.

“So, who’s jumping first?” Dawn asked her eyes saying there was no way she would be first.

We had no time to waste but for some moments everyone stayed there silent. Finally, to my surprise, Eshe’s tiny, fox legs moved closer to the opening and she looked down at it.

She looked at Cole and as if he could read her thoughts he nodded. “Yes, it’s the right one,” he assured her.

That was enough for her. She inhaled deeply the old air of the hole and fell in it.

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