Better Than Revenge

I scrambled back away from him. My eyes were huge as I stared at him not knowing what to say. I shook my head slowly trying to clear it, certain that I’d heard him wrong. “I don’t think that’s possible,” I mumbled inaudibly.
His dark eyes held mine and I was like a rabbit staring down the jaws of a wolf. I was supposed to be the wolf, dammit!
“It is. It’s true. Why else would I be here?”
“Sick joke for your sister?” I guessed. “Or you’re keeping me alive because the creeper liked the guard dog idea.”
He rolled his eyes which I noticed he did a lot whenever I was around. “That was a rhetorical question. They don’t even know that I’m here. They didn’t care when you went off on your own to die. Aro and Jane are too busy-”
A low snarl rippled through the forest cutting off whatever he was about to say. A very familiar scent hit my nose only a second before my tornado-like cousin blew in like a terrible gust of wind. “What the hell do you think you’re doing with my cousin?” she snarled.
Alec stayed calm even when Dylan bounded up next to her and growled fiercely at him.
“As much as I would very much like to hurt you,” he said coolly, “I won’t because that would annoy Andrea. But I do not care for you so don’t piss me off.”
“I’m not falling for it,” Nessie snapped. “Get your filthy paws off of her, pervert!”
I was a little disgruntled by the filthy paws comment but then I noticed that I still didn’t have a stitch of clothing on my body. Heat invaded my cheeks and I quickly pulled Alec’s discarded jacket on me. Well things were going to get very awkward next time I was on patrol with Dylan.
Alec let out an annoyed sigh from beside me. I shot him a sideways look and saw that mirage-like haze that had cause Tony so much pain on the cliffs headed straight for my two best friends.
“Don’t,” I said quickly. I didn’t think for one minute that he’d listen to me so I was totally startled when the haze lifted.
I got up slowly and tumbled into my cousin. She let out a sigh of relief and quickly looked me over. Her round eyes searched my face for a long minute and then zeroed in on the bite mark on my neck. “What did you do to her?”
“If you must know, I’m the one that saved her life. Aro had bitten her but she’ll be fine now. Just get Andrea out of here now.”
Ness hugged me behind her and glared at the full-vampire. “Why?”
He hesitated. “Because I love her,” he said softly. Renesmee gasped and Dylan let out a low snarl but he ignored them. “Drea was just the bait and I can’t stand to see her hurt when the real attack starts.”
I scrunched up my brows in confusion for a second before his words hit me. Of course I’d been bait all along. Aro’s comment about my mom and Bella’s powers rang out in my head begging for my scattered attention. My mom had been used for leverage to get at Bella once when they were both around my age. But when the Volturi had figured out about her power and how it connected with her twin’s they’d wanted the complete set for their sick collection. And the Swans weren’t the only ones associated with the Cullens that had special abilities…
I turned wide-eyed to Nessie. “He’s after all of them,” I gasped. “Your parents, my mom, Alice. They all have gifts that he’d want. Where are they all now?”
Her expression was so heartbreaking that I already knew the answer. “Andrea, they’re coming for you.”
I felt my heart stop and I was going to be sick. The Forks vampires and La Push wolves were a loyal bunch and if one was in trouble then everyone was involved. And on top of being loyal we were stubborn. No one was going to join Aro’s coven (cult was more like it) and that would only lead to a slaughter for his enjoyment.
“We have to do something,” I said breathlessly.
Nessie nodded enthusiastically. “Aro knows our family too well. He’ll be ready for their full force. And if he gets a hand on my dad he’ll know everything.”
“It’s up to us, then. This family is too important to me to just sit back and do nothing. You two in?”
They both nodded in agreement and I turned in the general direction of the deserted village that I’d run from. But before I could take a step Alec was in front of me blocking my path. “No,” he said stubbornly. “I won’t let you go.”
I pulled my arm away from his cool touch before my hormones could get the better of me. “I won’t sit by while they die. Now’s the time to make your choice, Alec. Pick a side because you can’t have it both ways. If you’re with the Volturi then fine, I won’t stop you. But if you’re with me, I could really use your help. Can you do that, though? Can you turn your back on your sister to help me save the very people she hates?”
He growled and before I knew it I was pinned up against a tree. His mouth latched hungrily to mine as he kissed me with more passion than I ever thought possible. I could barely move and my entire brain was focused solely on this boy that had been sent to kill me. In that one action I knew what he couldn’t put into words. He really did love me and he didn’t want to lose me. I swallowed back the lump in my throat and put just as much energy as my mouth moved in perfect sync with his.
I pulled away and I was lightheaded. Other than the lack of oxygen in my brain I was feeling better than I had in days. I wasn’t the bleeding mess I had been moments before. I drew strength from him and it was that strength that allowed me to believe in myself. We could do it. Our measly group of, well, children to be honest, could do the impossible and defeat the Volturi.