Realistic Dreams, Chapter Seven
Paring: Jake/Bella (Twilight)
Rating: M
Chapter Seven: Paris Triumphant
Bella POV
I woke up without being in a warm sweat for the first time in a week. That dream was the most vivid I had ever had, but I was not going to let it affect me. I put my dress on, followed by my shoes and ate a quick breakfast as I waited for Alice to come in through my window.
"Wow, you're up early," she said as she climbed in.
"I went to bed early. I was really tired."
"I can imagine. What Rosalie said was pretty heavy."
Alice hurried herself putting on my make up and doing my hair. "Do you have to go so fast?"
"I don't know how much your wolf friends will like you when you smell like me. Now stop moving so I don't burn you." She always said that, but she never did, no matter how much I moved.
Moments later she turned me to face the mirror. "There!"
I looked. She had done my face in neutral tones with a light pink lip gloss and my hair went from its usual flat straight self to wavy. I looked nice, but not over dressed. I think one might call it sweet. I would, of course, roll my eyes at one for doing that. "Thank you Alice, where would I be without you?"
"Jeans, t-shirt and a pony tail," she said in mock distaste.
My hands shook slightly and I wrung them together. "Look, I know you don't like this, Alice."
"Of course I don't. But I'm not going to let it stop us from hanging out. You may be going to party with animals, but I'm not going to stand by and have you look like one."
I chuckled. "For all your differences, you're extremely alike."
"I'll have you know I'm extremely offended by that."
"Whatever."
"Here." She wiped a bit of stray lip gloss off the side of my mouth. "Now get outta here before I change my mind."
I rolled my eyes. "Bye Alice." She made her way back out the window.
I grabbed my purse and got into my truck. I took my time driving, enjoying the view, and by the time I got to La Push, it was noon. I pulled into Sam's father's driveway and made my way around back. Emily smiled at me from the fire pit.
"Hey Bella. Wow, you look nice."
"Thanks, Alice and Rosalie helped."
"Maybe they can give me a make over," she said, jokingly. I didn't know about that. Rosalie may be less shallow than I thought she was, but I don't know if I wanted her around Emily. I don't think she could help but look down at her.
"Anything I can do."
"Nope, I kicked everyone's ass into gear since you weren't here. It's all done."
"Where's Jake?"
Her smile fell. "I'm sorry Bella, he just went out on patrol. He won't be back for awhile."
My heart stopped thudding. "It's ok. I'll see him later."
Her smile returned. "Come on. Ve's already into the dessert I think. Nobody likes raspberries more than that girl."
Sure enough, when we headed to the food tent, Ve was half way through a plate of raspberry trifle and looked to be in heaven.
"Oh, it is so good. I must have this recipe. Though I'll never have the time to make it." She wrinkled her nose and put her plate down. "I thought this would come in handy. Come on Bella." Next thing I knew she had taken me behind the food tent and was spritzing me down with a water bottle.
"What is this?" I asked, squinting through the impromptu shower.
"Clove oil perfume. Don't worry, it won't stain. You just smell like vampire."
"Tell me next time. Ack!" I shielded myself from her onslaught.
"There. All better."
"Geez." I smoothed down my dress and made sure my hair was ok.
"You look very nice Bella."
"Thanks, even though you just attacked me with a water bottle."
"It's how I face my greatest foes." She quirked her eyebrow in such a way that I had to laugh, even though I tried not to.
"Fine, fine, I understand, vampires smell bad to you."
"My apologies for being so over zealous."
"Forgiven."
She laughed at me and we sat down with Emily and talked. After a while the pack started showing up and things started to liven up.
"Emily, I missed you," Sam said placing a kiss on her head. "Bella… you look really nice."
I blushed and mumbled my thanks, and then did it again when I got the same from Leah, Seth, and even Paul. Embry and Quil came by and said much of the same.
"She looks like a princess," said the little girl on Quil's shoulder's.
"Yes, she does, Claire. Good to see you Bella." He smiled at me and took the little girl inside.
"Aww, was that his sister?" I asked watching him make sure she didn't hit her head on the door frame. Emily snorted and nearly spat up what she was eating and Ve grinned.
"Not exactly," said Emily, wiping her mouth. "That's my cousin."
Then that was a little odd that he was carrying her around like that. "Well he sure is nice to kids."
Ve kept grinning. "Not all kids. Just that one."
I raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"Because that's his imprint."
My eyes shot open. "Whaaat?" Ve and Emily broke out into belly laughs. "What's so funny? That's sick, she can't be more than four!"
"It's not like that Bella," said Emily wiping her mouth. "Imprinting isn't just attraction, it's… friendship, protection."
"What she means is that Claire just got the best big brother she could ever ask for."
"Well, when you put it that way, I guess it's less weird."
"My brother actually imprinted on his wife when she was in the womb."
Both Emily and I whipped our heads back towards Ve and stared, gaping at her.
"See Bella, now that's weird…."
"How is that even possible?!"
Ve laughed at me. "Sometimes the soul knows what it wants right away. It's actually how we found out the mother was pregnant. Poor girl, she was the imprint of one of the 'favourite sons' of a neighbouring band of Dorset. It was an awkward few weeks. But it all worked out fine in the end."
"What about you Ve?" asked Emily?
Ve smiled. "Some other times it takes the soul forever to figure it out."
"You didn't imprint?"
"No, I have imprinted. It just wasn't the first time I met that person."
"Well," said Emily, grinning. "Go on."
Ve rolled her eyes. "Gossip… well, fine. But I will have to start a little earlier than that to give understanding." We both nodded and slid closer. "I should like to start with my father. My father was one of the men in Leif Erikson's party, Ragnar Thorrson, or, as his shipmates called him, Ragnar Redmane. He was a good man, and a little different from much of the rest of his crew."
"How so?" I asked.
"Leif was a Christian. I remember the little hut that served as their church. They told me God lived there. I thought their God must be very small then." She laughed and shook her head. "My father conversely was pagan. His mother was a völva. You would call her a wise woman or a witch. He inherited his eyes from her. She had what you might tenebrously call 'the sight.' Really, all it means is that she can tell when something is… supernaturally atypical when she sees it."
"Do you have it too?"
She nodded. "The fact that I can generally smell them as well also helps. But needless to say, when my father's boat landed and he first met the skraelings, as they called my people, he could tell that something was… strange about us. It interested him."
"Wow, to be able to tell by looking," murmured Emily.
"It is useful." Her strange blue eyes slid back towards the table. "He was a lesser son. In those days, it meant he got a lesser portion of inheritance. This is why he signed up with Leif, he wanted to make his fortune. The relationship between the Norse and the Dorset was always tenuous. They would trade sometimes and be at war others. Once they caught the daughter of one of what you would call the chiefs. We didn't have a single ruler. There were two councils, one of the old women and an undercouncil of the most experienced warriors. This girl was the daughter of the highest ranking one. When my father found out that they essentially had captured royalty, if you could call it that, he agreed to release her without ransom on one condition.
"What was that?"
She smiled at Emily's question. "That she marry him. It was a better prospect than he ever had at home. My grandfather must have been quite surprised. A meeting had been arranged to negotiate prisoner return and instead of having to hand over any of the furs he brought, he got his daughter back as well as the bride price my father offered him. This was not Dorset custom, and they rather liked the metal trinkets my father gave them. It was unlike anything they'd ever seen before. So he accepted. And soon after that, my existence began. We lived sometimes with Leif's camp and sometimes with the Dorset. It was a happy marriage. They both astonished each other, my father in particular. The Dorset only spawn shape shifters once every several generations. 10 or so, and then only some of the children will make it. We suspect it is because when we imprint, our mates eventually change as well. Another Dorset peculiarity. Also, we breed true, so every one of our children would be one as well. So my mother was a 'carrier' as you would call it, but not a wolf. My uncle, on the other hand, was, the early indicator of a new pack that would come in my generation. So you can imagine her surprise when my father asked what was different about her brother."
Emily laughed. "I know it would shock me if someone suddenly asked what was different about Sam."
"Indeed. As it turned out, my father could point out every shape shifter in their band and even knew which ones were old. I remember being frightened when they hauled him out of our tent one next and dragged him bound before the council. I couldn't have been more than two. I thought they were going to execute him."
"You can remember that far back?" I asked, astonished.
"My memories of my father are very vivid. He was an enigmatic person. Anyways, they were going to execute him. Fortunately, one of the old women asked him about his eyes. He told them of Norse magic, and even showed them some runes."
"Runes?"
She reached into the pocket of her jeans and pulled out a pebble, then began scratching it. I looked on in amazement to see her fingernails turn into claws.
"How are you-"
She waved a hand cutting me off. "Another Dorset peculiarity. We can shift our features slowly."
"I seem to remember you telling me that there weren't anymore differences when you explained your voice box."
"Apologies. I cannot always remember all the little details." She finished her carving and the pebble had what looked like a little stick tree on it, like how a child would draw a pine, but with only six boughs. "This is a Tiwaz stack. Bind runes can have many meanings. Some act as personal sigils, others have a purpose. This one means protection, since it's the rune of the God Tyr. Here, you seem like you might need it." She handed the pebble to me. I rubbed my thumb over the carving and put it in my purse. "When they saw my father's ways, they relaxed and let him go, especially when he told him about his mother. I think they were more afraid of getting cursed than anything else.
"Eventually, Leif's party left. My father decided to stay behind. He lived until I was nearly fifteen. We were seen somewhat as outsiders, so, to prove himself, whenever there was trouble of a human nature, my father always volunteered to be on the front line, so to speak." Her eyes shone as she remembered. "He was a true berserker they told me. Always rushing out with an axe like a man possessed. They could neither deny his use nor his devotion to his family after that. It even looked like they were going to let him on the warrior's council. But then, during one war with a neighbouring tribe, they set their shape shifters out on the field. My father knew immediately. He risked his life running at a dead sprint through the trees to get my uncle, and then ran back out with them to help the humans get home. They caught him when he was on the way back. He sacrificed himself for our warriors."
I rubbed Ve's back as a tear slipped down her cheek.
"My uncle managed to bring up back alive, but he was beyond help. Right before he died he called my brother and me to him. He pressed our inheritance in our hands with the last of his strength and told me that I was Alve Ragnarsdottir, and to never forget where we come from or our birth right."
Emily wrinkled her nose. "He sounded adamant."
Ve sighed. "Despite my father proving himself again and again, some were still against him. My mother was from a high ranking family, one which had produced many great shape shifters. They saw it as a waste of good blood."
"That's horrible."
"That is life. You cannot please everyone. One in particular I could not please was Luka."
"Luka?"
"Yes, Luka. That was not his Dorset name of course." She smiled at me. "I am one of the few that remain of my tribe, as I have said. Some people like to share their culture when it is near gone. Others like to keep it close. I fall into the latter group. I generally don't like to share my language with people. I suppose it has something to do with finding my father's heritage. What I learned from him was only bits and pieces. I worshipped his gods, but knew very little about them. It felt like half my heritage was missing. By the time this Christopher Columbus landed in the Caribbean, the shape shifters of the Americas had formed something like the European Council. We were, at times, still each other's enemies, but we knew that there were bigger things to face. So when Columbus did land, it only took months for word from the shape shifters there to pass north, as I happened to be back in Newfoundland at that time. One day I heard the strangest thing from a passing Deer-man. They had seen pale faces in the south. I thought it was my father's people"
"So you went to see them?"
Ve shook her head. "No, I knew what my father said must have been real. So I swam to Greenland, then Iceland, and found them. The descendants of my father's mother. An old woman with hair and eyes like mine used to talk to me in my dreams and she led the way. They knew what I was the moment they saw me, and invited me into their home. I brought my family over, and we spent the next almost four hundred years travelling the Old World as it was called, seeing half of the planet that I never even thought was there. I was the first to get in contact with the European council, and meet Marius, the Great Wolf of Rome as they call him, who still leads the Council to this day. I took care to learn various Scandinavian languages and lived their customs, filling my life with what I had missed for so long. I believe it colours the way I speak English?"
That was it. Her accent. It was very faintly Scandinavian, Norwegian or something. "Yes, it does."
She nodded. "It is my fathers culture I portray most often because I lived without it for so long. My mother's culture I keep close to my heart. But I still love to engage in it whenever I can. I just don't see my brother that often. He currently lives in Nunavut. And my children are grown and flung across the planet. Only when I stretch my mind to its limits can I hear their wolves. I really must arrange a family reunion." She laughed and scooped more trifle onto her plate. "Now, where was I? Ah yes, Luka. Luka was the son of another high ranking warrior, in the generation after my mother's father. There were two 'royal' families, if you could call them that, in our band, my mother's and Luka's. He was my age, few years older than me, and particularly tormenting of me."
"Asshole," said Emily.
Ve broke out into laughter. "I suppose some would call him that. I of course, had to adore him. It was not bad when we were children, but when he changed, he hated me something fierce. My father was dead by then, and Luka used to particularly enjoy taunting me on how neither I nor my brother would ever be Spirit Warriors unless someone imprinted on us. Well, we sure showed him."
"This I gotta hear." Emily said.
"I was seventeen, my brother sixteen. Another war started with a tribe from farther away who were moving in on our land. Fox people, small and vicious, as well as crafty. They lured all of our wolves out into the battle field and then had some of their warriors and shape shifters come and attack our village."
Emily and I both gasped. "Sneaky little bastards," I said.
"I could see them coming through the woods and ran to the elder's tent. When I looked behind me, I saw the tent my brother was in explode. I feared the worse: that they were on us. I ran back towards it and saw them all come on of the forest, five of them."
"What happened?'
"In reality, one had made it to my brother Magni's tent, but as soon as they got in, it happened. He changed and ripped the Fox apart, exploding the tent in the process. Meanwhile, as I stared down those five shape shifters, I felt the world slow around me. And then I heard it."
"Heard what?" I asked, the suspense killing me.
"The other wolves. So many confused voices, wondering why most of the shape shifters weren't in the field. I called out to them saying they were in the camp, and Luka's surprised voice answered me. Then I exploded out of my skin and charged the shape shifters. My brother followed out of the hut, and somehow, with our new found strength, we managed to hold them off until everyone else got back. Some died, but many more would have followed them if we had not had changed at that very moment."
Emily laughed. "So what did Luka say to that?"
She gave Emily a knowing look. "His usual disdain. Oh, he was shocked, but then he reamed us both out for not saving everything. Our wolf structure was multi-tiered as well. He was the alpha of the younger pack. So I became my father. I was first on the field, first to attack, and put myself in the most dangerous situation. I would make him admit my worth if it killed me."
"And did you?"
She smiled at me. "One day, during the changing of the guard, as it were, he was going out and I was coming in. He walked by me, well into me. He looked back, waiting for me to challenge him and our eyes locked."
"And did you kick his ass?" asked Emily.
"Oh no, my dear, we both imprinted."
My eyes went wide. "You imprinted on Luka!"
"I most certainly did. And he on me. There in front of a dozen bystanders."
"Well, you said you liked him, so I guess it was good."
She shook her head smiling. "No, I was horrified. I refused him for months. I was so determined to do well so that he would have to acknowledge my merit that if felt like I was being cheated out of my satisfaction."
"You refused him?"
"Yes," she said laughing. "Though it pained me to do so, I did. Oh, and he did try. He followed me around where I went and gave me all sorts of gifts. It was most unfortunate, he spent so long tormenting me and now he had to figure out how to woo me."
"So what happened?"
"One of his presents was a beautiful carving, with pearls for eyes. He made it himself and I still have it, though I keep it at the council headquarters."
"And that won you over?"
She shook her head. "No, I put it back in his hut when he was away. That was the straw that broke the camels back, as you say. He found me and informed me that he was done with my foolishness and expected me in his hut when get got back from hunting. I, of course, wasn't there. So he went on a rampage through the camp, turning over every rock until he found me, threw me over his shoulder and carried me kicking and screaming back to his hut. He plopped me down and ordered to me start cooking and that I had better be there when he got back or he was going to beat my ass raw in the middle of town."
"That's awful," said Emily.
Ve shrugged. "He got his point across. I was there when he came back, with a giant basket of raspberries."
"So that's why it's your favourite," I guessed.
She shook her head. "No, my father has always liked them because they had raspberries in Europe too. I was shocked, and doubly so when he said he knew I like them."
"How did he know?"
"He always knew. He always liked me. As it turned out he found the bush a month before and was trying to get be to his tent since then so he could give me the damned berries as a surprise. When he changed it was his mother who told him that he deserved much better than a half breed. She always resented the nice things my mother got out of the deal. Teasing me was the only relationship he could have with me that his mother would approve of."
"That's such a boy move," said Emily, shaking her head and laughing. Ve nodded in agreement.
"At least it has a happy ending," I pointed out. "Where is he now?'
Ve smiled wistfully. "That, I think is a story for another day. Besides, Jacob is back."
I looked over my shoulder to see Jake and Sam walk into the backyard. "Oh, thanks," I said to Ve and got up to go greet him.
Jake's face lit up as he saw me. "Bella!" He bounded over to me and wrapped me his muscled arms around me.
"Jake… Jake… air!" I gasped as he finally let go.
"Sorry, I get carried away. Wow Bell, you look great."
"I do?" I could feel my face blush.
"Yeah, where'd you get the dress from?"
"Oh, just this place in Port Angeles. Um… Alice and Rosalie helped me pick it out."
He raised an eyebrow. "The vampires? Really?"
"Yeah, why?"
"It's nothing. I just would have thought they wouldn't dress you so nice to come see me."
I guess I could see his point. "Well it was mostly Rosalie."
He waved a hand. "Nevermind, I'm just glad you're here. Come on."
We walked over to one of the benches in the yard. His hand fell into mine and I fell back into the total comfort zone that I was always in when I was with Jake.
"So how did it go?"
"The patrol? Oh, boring as hell." He splayed my hand across his and played with his fingers.
"I'm sorry you have to go out every day because of me."
"Don't worry about it Bella, it's no problem."
"No, it is, you're tired all the time."
"You're worth it."
Leave it to Jake to know all the ways to get my face red. We got up and walked back over to the rest of the pack.
"Hey again Sam," I said, prying him away from Emily for the time being.
"Hey Bella."
"How is everything going?"
He sighed. "The two boys are having a rough time. Still haven't gotten control of their phasing yet. It might be because they're so young."
"That's too bad," I said frowning. "I hope they do better."
"I hope so to. We could use the help."
I nodded. It must be hard having to split up the day into four all the time. Two more bodies would definitely help. I refused to mope about how they were doing this all for me, so instead I said. "So what are we doing?"
"The Elder's private meeting just got out and they're headed here."
"Why weren't you with them?"
"Ve and I talked to them earlier. When they get here I believe Billy is going to be doing some story-telling, isn't he Jake."
Jake nodded.
"Story-telling? What stories?"
"Just the Quileute legends," said Jake smiling.
"The ones you told me?"
"Yeah, but you haven't heard them until you've heard my dad tell them."
Boy was he right. Soon after that a few cars pulled up and Billy, Sue Clearwater, Joshua Uley and others got out of them. We built up a big bonfire and gathered round as Billy prepared to talk. I stifled a chuckle as Emily handed out notebooks and pencils. It was like they were taking a class. But I suppose that they kind of were. What they thought were just legends turned out to be their actual history.
Billy's voice sounded out over the fire, a low gravely sound as he began his story. He talked about the origin of the Quileute shape shifters, about Taha Aki, the loss of his body to Utlapa, the meeting of the wolf and the sacrifice of his Third Wife. I looked on in awe as I watched history in action, seeing Billy emote and change his voice as he portrayed different characters and different times of the story. I gasped as he got to the part with the Vampires and how similar it sounded to Victoria and James. All of those shape shifters killed by two vampires, I couldn't imagine what thirty would do given half the chance. When he got to the Third Wife, I wondered if that would be me, if I would have to sacrifice myself to keep them safe. I hoped not. It made it feel like this past week would be all for naught.
When he finished, he gave the floor to Quil Sr., who was, if possible, more enigmatic than Billy. The quiet was he recounted the meeting with the Cullens was almost haunting. Then he got to the part about Ve.
"Sometime after our ancestors made the treaty with the Cold Ones, Quil Ateara, who I was named after, was running one day. He was known throughout our tribe as having sharp eyes. During his run he saw something darting through the forest, white and blue and orange. He ran after it, but it was two fast. So he howled to let his brothers know there was trouble, and this made it stop and turned around. He ran out into a clearing and there he saw the wolf, large like he was, with magnificent colours spread over it. He tried to talk to the wolf with his spirit, and the wolf answered back in a woman's voice. He was stunned, but listened to her. The she-wolf told him her story, how she was old and how there were others like us, all over this world. She called it the Great Council. His brothers, alarmed from his call, appeared from the trees and saw with their own eyes where the female voice was coming from.
"She told them all of this Great Council, something we Quileute had forgotten of and in turn we told her of Taha Aki and our ancestors. Our stories brought a happy light to her eyes and she asked to be our patron in this Council. She told us of the people she protected, the wars she fought, and the friends she had made. We admired these things. We agreed to her request. She stayed with our ancestors two weeks and taught them many things. However, she was a great warrior and had to move on, though our ancestors were hungry for more knowledge. She gave us a way to contact the Council, should we ever need their help. We held onto it, not knowing if this council truly existed. But the Cold Ones came back, as I have told you. And with them they brought dangers. We needed this Council's help and we used what the She-Wolf gave us. They answered our call, and once again the She-Wolf came, to teach our new pack her great knowledge." He gestured his hand towards Ve and she bowed her head to him. Sound clamoured around me as the pack gave up a great roar. Jacob hollered at my side and flinched as put her fingers to her lips and gave the most piercing whistle I have ever heard.
Ve stood up as Quil Sr. gave the floor to her. "You have come far my friends."
Another cheer sounded out.
She smiled and her eyes shown and I felt like I could take on the entire newborn army by myself. "You have come far and you have come long, and you find yourself here on the brink of war, unafraid!" My ears fell prey to the thunder again, even though this time I found myself joining in the ruckus. "If I could lead you into battle, I would, gladly. But I have seen your skill, and though you are young, and though you are new, you Quileute amaze me! I have not seen such ferocity and heart since I took this battle to the Cold Ones front steps in Germany!" Another cheer. "In the forests of Bavaria, we brought the fight to them and we ended them! I have no doubt, not a single thought in my mind that you will not win. You will face this threat and you will beat it, and I will sing your praises to the Council personally!" We hollered and cheered again. "And then, my young friends, then we will take this fight to them again! With your help we will take this fight to them in Italy and we will tear down the Volturi's walls and we will dance on their ashes!" The boom that came was almost deafening. "We will bring to them fire! We will bring to them ruin! And when we do you will earn your place in history!" Another cheer. "So I ask you today, are you with me?"
"Yes!"
"Are you with me?"
"Yes!"
Ve then screamed something to them in Quileute and they screamed it back. She came around to each of us with a handful of ashes from the fire, throwing it over us and saying the same thing. She even did it to me, ending with a "Little sister."
"What does that mean?"
"It means let your wolf guide you."
"But I don't have one."
She grinned at me. "I wouldn't be so sure."
"Come on, let's go for a walk." I turned to see that Jake had already gotten up."
"Alright." I took his hand and we headed for the beach. The sun had just set and the world was a lovely blue.
"So, did you have fun? I mean, I'm sorry I wasn't there, we had issues."
"Issues, I thought you said patrol was boring."
He sucked in a breath. "It was, we mostly just followed the newborn's scent to see where he got in, but then we found something."
"Something?"
"Another scent. It wasn't vampire, but it wasn't human. We didn't even know what it was."
"What about Ve?"
"I don't think our description was all that good." He frowned.
We walked in silence for awhile, with me biting my lip. "You weren't too angry about Wednesday, were you?"
He exhaled and looked to be in thought. "Well I didn't like what I saw, but I can't really be angry at you. I'm just angry at him."
"Why?"
"Do I need a reason? He's a monster douchebag who's tormented you for a year." I stifled a chuckle, but it didn't work. "See, even you agree."
I shook my head, laughing. "Monster douchebag…. Where do you come up with this stuff?"
"What can I say, I'm a damned wordsmith."
"And a cocky asshole to boot."
"Hey!"
We were at the log again, the object which would be irrevocably tied to us, thanks to my dreams. I sat down beside him still holding his hand. I leaned into him, grasping aimlessly at the sand that had piled on the bench and letting it run through my hands. We fell silent again and stayed that way for minutes. I took the time to review the day in my head.
Eventually, Jake spoke again. "Whatcha thinking about?"
"Nothing." My mind had started to drift and I was almost on the point of falling asleep.
"You sound tired."
"I'm not really. I guess I am thinking of something."
"What's that?"
"Ve told us about her dad and her husband today. I was just wondering how people who lived so long ago can be just like people today."
"Nothing changes I guess."
I shook my head, still leaning against him. "Everything changes."
"Then some things always stay the same."
"I guess. What are you thinking about?"
"The last time we were on his bench."
I looked up and he was smirking. "Perv."
"Look, a shooting star."
"Don't change the subject, perv."
"I'm serious." He gently turned my head just in time to see the white streak across the sky.
"Well look at that."
"I guess we have to make a wish."
"I guess so." I closed my eyes, even though it was silly and wished that we'd all make it out of this ok. Somehow, I didn't think it was going to come true. I opened my eyes again, and saw Jake smiling down at me.
"So what did you wish for?"
"Won't it not come true if you say it?"
"Nah, I think that's just birthday candles."
I laughed. "I wished that you guys wouldn't get hurt."
"Crap, that one's so much better than mine."
"Why, what did you wish for?"
"For you to start kissing me again."
I laughed at him and threw my handful of sand in his face. "Edward may be a monster douchebag but you're a monster perv."
Jake shook his head, trying to get the sand out of his eyes. "I can't help it, it's in my nature. And, good God woman, my eyes! It's always my goddamned eyes."
"Don't be a baby."
He wiped his face, blinked and wiped again. "Crap, it's like you got it all in there."
I rolled my eyes. "Here, let me see." I pulled a kleenex out of my purse and moved his hands away. Perched almost on his lap, standing so that I could actually be taller than him, I helped him. "Stop that, you'll just make it worse. Open. Now close." I put the Kleenex at his eyelids and told him to blink, then carefully wiped the sand away. "Ok, I guess it was a pretty good shot. Other one…. Ok, now is that better?"
He blinked a few times. "I think so." He opened his eyes again when they were sand free and looked up at me.
Our eyes locked.
My heart caught in my throat.
Jacob POV
The trees flew by me as I circled back to Forks towards Bella's house.
This way Jared.
Coming.
I padded up to the tree line as I made it there. It was still there, the newborn's scent, but it wasn't alone.
There's more than one.
I know Jared, but all the rest are Cullen.
You sure?
Yeah, it's the little one. She and Bella were supposed to something yesterday I think.
But the scent's fresh?
I don't know why, but it's definitely the little one.
Jared padded around the backyard a few times, sniffing.
Yeah, I smell it now. The newborn came this way.
Yep.
We raced back out along the trail and out of the city proper. From there it started to swerve and double back on itself.
What the hell was it thinking? I sat down a moment, scratching my ear, before getting back on the trail.
Jared laughed. I think he though he'd be confusing us.
No way, these trails are too close together.
I never said he was good at it.
Yeah, idiot leech. Who knows though? Before Ve taught us how to pick out scents more carefully, it would have worked.
I don't think so Jake. This is some garbled shit. I don't think he has a clue. Wait, the mess leads this way. Over here!
Coming.
I turned left and started following the brown wolf in front of me. It headed toward the beach, on the far coast, too far for us to smell at last week's barbecue.
Shit, the red head taught him her trick.
Can't win 'em all Jake.
Well, at least we know how they got in. We'll tell Sam to see the patrol's this way.
Yeah. Should we head back?
Let's go a little further to make sure.
Gotcha.
I ran off to the side so we could cover more ground. The newborn had definitely come this way, but there was nothing else but rocks and trees.
Jake, get your ass over here.
What? I'm fine here. I saw a rock through our connected and got a wrong feeling from it. Coming. Where are you?
Around the other side of the bay.
I raced through the field I was searching in and jumped off a log onto the beach, heading up the coast before going back inland to find Jared. Whatever was up with that rock wasn't good.
When I got there, Jared came up beside me.
Dude, you smell that?
I sniffed around the rock. The smell was… well it wasn't horrid, it was just weird and it sent a chill down my spine because I couldn't describe what it was. There were no words for it, it was just there and it was horribly out of place. I sniffed again, and the weirder think was that it didn't seem to go anywhere.
What the fuck is that?
Jared whimpered. I don't know, but I don't like it at all. Let's get outta here.
I sniffed it again and agreed. I don't want to be around this any longer than you do, let's go.
We took off back for La Push. When we got there we phased back and went straight for the community centre. Our timing was good, because Sam was just coming to pick them up.
"Hey Jake, Jared, how'd it go."
"We found how the newborn got in, but there's something you gotta see."
Sam looked at me seriously, and then told his father that he'd have to drive them there.
"It's fine son, they'll still be awhile. Go do what you have to." I nodded at Joshua and headed for the woods. Taking my pants off, I tied them back around my ankle and phased.
Sam?
I'm here.
Where'd Jared go?
I sent him back to tell Ve about whatever it was. She's already at Dad's house.
Right, it's this way.
We headed past the utter mess the newborn tried to confused us with and back up the coast of the bay again. I led Sam to the rock.
What the fuck is that?
I don't know Sam, but it's fucking weird.
I don't… I mean I can't even begin to….
I know, me either. What are we going to do?
Sam circled the rock. Nothing for now. We have to head back or we're going to miss the meeting. Come on.
Sure sure.
We headed back to town as fast as we could.
"We'll have to get Ve to check it out. I have no idea what that is."
I nodded in agreement, pulling my pants on. "She would have to be leaving to."
"It might be for the best. If she doesn't know, she can ask the council."
"Yeah I guess."
We walked back towards the house and headed out back. As I turned the corner, I saw Bella heading towards me and any worries of strange smells left me. "Bella!" I ran over and picked her up, holding her to me. She smelled delicious, like Christmas.
"Jake… Jake… air!"
I put her down, still smiling. I looked her up and down. She was in this flowy thing that looked excellent on her. Purple might have to be my new favourite colour. "Sorry, I get carried away. Wow Bell, you look great."
"I do?" Her face went an unbearably cute shade of red.
"Yeah, where'd you get the dress from?"
"Oh just this place in Port Angeles. Um… Alice and Rosalie helped me pick it out."
Really? I couldn't smell them on her at all. "The vampires? Really?"
"Yeah, why?"
"It's nothing. I just would have thought they wouldn't dress you so nice to come see me."
"Well it was mostly Rosalie."
It didn't matter, so long as she was here. "Nevermind, I'm just glad you're here. Come on."
We headed back into the back yard and she turned to me. "So how did it go?"
I tried not to tense. I didn't want to worry Bella with that strange rock. "The patrol? Oh, boring as hell."
"I'm sorry you have to go out every day because of me."
"Don't worry about it Bella, it's no problem."
"No, it is, you're tired all the time."
"You're worth it." I smiled at her and she went red again. I was beginning to enjoy this.
We greeted Sam again and discussed Colin and Brady before we settled down to listen to my Dad. He was always great with the stories. They mystified me as a kid, but when I got older, they seemed a little lame. Of course, that was before I found out they were all real. Quil Sr. went next, in his haunting quiet voice and I watched Bella's face as she looked on. I barely paid attention again until Ve got up and led us in a battle cry. There was something about her that just made her feel comfortable. She told us about her eyes when she got us ready for the meeting with the leeches, but somehow, I didn't think that's what it was. It was just a funny feeling. I heard Jared whisper to Sam that Ve didn't know what the rock was either and she'd have to check it out on her way out, so I got out of there before the discussion got more serious. I wanted to spend as much time with Bella as possible.
"Come on, let's go for a walk." I took her hand and we headed towards the beach. She looked beautiful in the little light that was left.
"So, did you have fun?" I asked her as she stared at the sky. "I mean, I'm sorry I wasn't there, we had issues."
She looked instantly worried. "Issues, I thought you said patrol was boring."
Damn me and my big mouth. No use lying now. "It was, we mostly just followed the newborn's scent to see where he got in, but then we found something."
"Something?"
"Another scent. It wasn't vampire, but it wasn't human. We didn't even know what it was."
"What about Ve?"
"I don't think our description was all that good," I said, remembering Jared's words to Sam.
We walked in silence and I watched her nibble on her lip out of the corner of my eye. Stop it Jake, just because everything she does with her mouth ends up being sexy is no reason for you to stare.
"You weren't too angry about Wednesday, were you?" she asked after awhile.
Wednesday. The meeting and her beautiful lips pressed against Edward. I was careful to clench my other hand. "Well I didn't like what I saw, but I can't really be angry at you. I'm just angry at him."
"Why?"
I scoffed. "Do I need a reason? He's a monster douchebag who's tormented you for a year." She covered a laugh with her hand. "See, even you agree."
She shook her head. "Monster douchebag…. Where do you come up with this stuff?"
"What can I say, I'm a damned wordsmith."
"And a cocky asshole to boot."
"Hey!"
We headed to the log, our log and she sat beside me. I played with her hand in mine as she ran her other hand through the sand on the log. She leaned against me and blinked her eyes slowly and I watched in awe at how beautiful she could be without realising it. We stayed like that for a while until I mused, "whatcha thinking about?"
"Nothing." She said the word slowly as she blinked her eyes again.
"You sound tired."
"I'm not really. I guess I am thinking of something."
"What's that?" I brushed a strand of hair off her cheek.
"Ve told us about her dad and her husband today. I was just wondering how people who lived so long ago can be just like people today."
Ve's stories. I hope I would get to hear some of them soon. "Nothing changes I guess."
She shook her head against me. "Everything changes."
"Then some things always stay the same."
"I guess. What are you thinking about?"
I smirked into her hair. "The last time we were on his bench."
She looked up at me, incredulously. "Perv."
I saw something jolt through the sky. "Look, a shooting star."
"Don't change the subject, perv."
"I'm serious." I turned her so she could see.
"Well look at that."
"I guess we have to make a wish."
"I guess so."
Looking down at her I remembered last week, and her lips and her neck and how perfect it would be if she just leaned up and kissed me. "So what did you wish for?"
"Won't it not come true if you say it?"
I laughed. "Nah, I think that's just birthday candles."
"I wished that you guys wouldn't get hurt."
Figures she would wish for something serious. "Crap, that one's so much better than mine."
"Why, what did you wish for?"
"For you to start kissing me again."
"Edward may be a monster douchebag but you're a monster perv."
I spluttered as a handful of sand went into my eyes. "I can't help it, it's in my nature. And, good God woman, my eyes! It's always my goddamned eyes."
"Don't be a baby."
I tried to get it out, to no avail. "Crap, it's like you got it all in there."
"Here, let me see." I felt her lean over my lap. Dammit, when she finally gets close to me, I can't even see her. "Stop that, you'll just make it worse. Open. Now close." She carefully dabbed at my right eye. "Ok, I guess it was a pretty good shot. Other one…. Ok, now is that better?"
I blinked a few times. "I think so." Opening my eyes, I could finally see again and looked up at her.
Our eyes locked.
I felt something move through me as my centre of gravity and lurched forward and came to rest on her. My eyes widened. I had seen her so many times before, but never like this. She was angelic, and at the same time something to be desired. My throat went dry, my head went numb and my hands shook as I took her in. Finally, I couldn't reside any longer and pulled her to me, kissing her with my all, like we had never kissed before and would never kiss again. I know it sounds corny, but it was like my entire life had been a desert and I was finally having a drink. It was then that I realised what was happening and I felt my heart leap.
Bella POV
His eyes focused on mine and bored into me and I felt static electricity run through me. A moment passed and then his lips crashed on me and I was swept up by him. I felt his hands wind their way behind my neck and I kissed him back, leaning into his chest. My hands tentatively found their way to his shoulders as he kissed me like a man possessed. Soon I was gasping and forcibly pushed him from me.
"Jake, what are you doing?"
"Bella," He sighed with a smile and wrapped his fingers through my hair.
"Jake?" I felt his hands massage my scalp.
He leaned in and kissed his way up my neck. "Bella, Bella, Bella," he sighed the whole way, laughing slightly, before nuzzling me and pulling me as close as possible.
The heat was delicious. I pressed closer to him and gasped as he tickled my collar bone with his tongue.
"Oh Bella, this is so wonderful."
I giggled. "It's just kissing."
He kissed me again lightly, smiling against my lips. "Don't you see it's so much more than that?"
I giggled again but failed to see what he meant. "How?"
He looked up at me again. "You're perfect," he murmured.
Then I saw it, in his eyes.
Devotion.
Just like Sam had in his eyes when he saw Emily or when Jared saw Kim.
Like he was staring at his imprint.
His imprint? Oh. My. God.
My heart sunk to the bottom of my stomach and proceeded to thud a rhythm there. My mind raced a thousand miles a minute. He imprinted? Just now? It was all too much to handle, so I did the only thing I could think of.
I slapped it. "Stop that!" I ordered as my hand came down on his face. "Ow!" I shook my hand as it felt like I was slapping concrete.
He kissed the bottom of my chin. "I can't help it."
"Stop it anyway!" I slapped him again, immediately regretting it. "Ow, fuck."
He grasped my hand and kissed each one of my finger tips. "If I punched myself in the face, would you stop hurting yourself?"
"No!" He quirked an eyebrow at me and I realised what I just said. "I mean, don't punch yourself."
He laughed and let my hand go. "Then stop hitting me."
"Then stop looking at me that way!"
"What way?"
"Like you love me!"
"I do love you."
I scrunched up my nose and rubbed a hand over my face. "Stop it!"
He turned serious. "Why would you want me to stop, is… did I… is there something wrong?"
"No…" I put a hand on his shoulder to stop his sudden panicking. Not knowing what else to do I laid my head on his chest, letting his steady heart beat. "It's just that… I thought we agreed to take things slow…."
"We did," he said rubbing my back.
"This isn't slow!" I felt tears spill down my cheeks.
He grasped me by my shoulders and pulled me up to face him. "Don't cry, Bella honey," he said, kissing away my tears. "Don't worry, we don't have to do anything. I can be anything you want. Your best friend, your guardian, anything."
I kissed him back tentatively. "I'm not saying I don't want this, it's just that it's a little much to come at once." I resumed leaning against him. "It's funny, I did once ask why can't this just be easy."
He rubbed my back and sighed "And now you have second thoughts."
I shook my head. "No, I just wish my life would slow down. That we could go hang out in your garage all day and not worry about graduation or vampires or patrols or newborns."
He gripped me possessively. "I won't let anything hurt you."
"I know, I know. Just don't let my freak outs scare you, it's like I said, I'm pretty dumb sometimes."
He laughed. "You're not dumb."
"I just hurt my hand on your face. Twice."
"Ok, so you have little common sense. Who needs that?"
"Klutzes."
"I'll be your common sense."
"That's a rough job. I hope you get benefits."
He laughed again. "See we can be relaxed."
I nodded. We stayed that way, me curled on his lap for what must have been an hour. I listened to him breathe and to his heart beat and allowed myself to get lost in the sound.
Eventually he lifted me off his chest. "I should get you home. It's getting late."
"Alright." I didn't think it was all that late, but tonight's events had completely drained me. We headed back to the house, hand in hand. When we got there, he left me to go talk to Sam, promising to be right back.
"Have a good time."
I looked behind me to see Ve, smiling at me with a glint in her eyes.
"It means follow your wolf little sister"
"But I don't have one."
"I wouldn't be so sure."
I gasped. "You knew!"
Ve nodded.
"Why didn't you warn me?!"
"Because then it might not have happened."
My eyebrows shot up. "You made it happen?"
She shook her head. "No, I felt the pull between your souls. It's never a definite thing, it might not have happened. Or it might have anyway. It is not my place to interfere with the course of nature in this manner. Are you disappointed?"
I shook my head. "Good thing, bad time."
"Ah, I can empathise immensely."
I looked over to see Sam giving Jake a pat on the back. "I guess I better go."
"I guess you better. Head tall, little sister. No reason in the world not to be proud."
I considered her words, and then smiled as I walked towards Jake. "Let's go," I said, slipping my hand in his.
"You want me to drive?"
"Sure." I handed him my keys. On the way home I drifted in and out of sleep on his shoulder.
I trudged my way up the stairs and headed immediately for the shower. I took off my make up and washed out my hair, getting ready for bed as fast as I could. I slipped on some house pants and a t-shirt and paced around my room a bit, after carefully putting my dress in the closet to be cleaned later. My eyes fell on the tags from the dress and shoes on my desk. I know I was supposed to wait for Rosalie to tell me, but after tonight, I didn't need anymore surprises.
Carefully, I picked up the tag for the dress and peeled the tape off. Opening up it up and reading the contents, my wish for no more surprises was ignored.
Purple Lilac: First emotion of love.
Lavender Rose: Love at first sight.
I found myself laughing at Rosalie's apt choices. I always knew fate had it in for me. I just never knew how much.
I was startled out of my bemusement when I heard a thump near my bedroom window. I looked up to see Jacob standing there, shirtless, barefoot, in a pair of sweat pants.
"Um," he said, brushing his hair out of his eyes. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to see you."
"No it's alright. But you just saw me."
"I, uh, wanted to see you again." He closed the gap between us and twirled an errant strand of wet hair off my face.
I looked up at him and saw the devotion - and desire - in his eyes. I looked down and began fiddling with the drawstring on my pants. In a moment of insane bravery I pulled on one string, letting the knot come open. I looked back up at him.
He gulped and put his large hand over my small one, his fingers burning my abdomen.
"I didn't come for that," he said exhaling. "God, woman, you'll be the death of me yet." He picked me up and carried me to the bed, lying me down and crawling in beside me. "Just… let me stay. I need to be beside you."
I nodded and tucked myself into him, ignoring the bulge in his pants. He gasped as I wrapped myself around him and placed a kiss on the top of my head. I gave a hesitant peck to his chest as my eyes fluttered close and my breath slowed to match his.
The only dream I had that night was of us laying there, the heavens revolving around us.