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Zara

Astley flew out the door, leaving me with the confused vampires who all looked to me expectantly. Esme and Carlisle were standing by the open front door while Emmett chuckled softly. "Fly…you things can fly…" He muttered under his breath, and I gave him a look.

"Pixies." I snapped, not even knowing why I was defending him….us…. "We're not things, we're pixies." He snorted, then lifted an eyebrow.

"Whatever. Pixies." I rolled my eyes.

"Kings can fly." I told them again absently, still watching as he disappeared in the sky. "Where's Renesmee?" I wondered suddenly, looking at Carlisle. "And the others…"

"Renesmee is still asleep, and Bella and Edward are with her…she had nightmares last night." I frowned, concerned. Was it the pixies, I had to wonder. Or had she had a nightmare about the wolves? About Nick? "Jasper and Alice are upstairs." I hesitated, glancing up at the ceiling. "And Astley?"

"I…I don't know." I whispered, putting a hand over my stomach where I'd pulled at it a little. He glanced at his son who stood, pulling the blonde along with him. But before they could leave, Astley crashed into the front lawn, and I could feel his embarrassment when he saw the incredulous looks of the vampires on him. "What's going on?" I demanded, jumping to my feet and ignoring the twinge in my stomach. "Astley?" He was on his feet in a second, and I was a little surprised to see that he wasn't wearing a glamour…and even more surprised to realize that I didn't care.

"The wolves were fighting." He told me simply. "Jacob and Nick ran into some others."

"Is everyone okay?" Esme asked softly, stepping forward when my jaw clenched and Astley caught me with a sigh, his hands keeping me upright.

"You shouldn't be out of bed." He scolded softly.

"Will you stop…worrying about me?" I forced my tone to turn gentle at the end. 'He's worried about me.' I told myself sharply. 'He's worried…he can't help it. He's my king. It's his job. "Are Nick and Jacob okay?"

He sighed, squeezing my arm and helping me over to the sofa, then nodded to the others. "The wolves are okay. I'm not sure what they were fighting about, but I could smell more pixies nearby. I believe the wolves were all tracking them and got into a fight." He glanced up when Edward and Bella appeared at the base of the stairs, hand in hand, Edward's sole focus on Astley, and my king smiled a bit, making Edward smile as well as he read his mind.

"They're coming?" Edward confirmed. Astley nodded just as the smell hit me.

Renesmee

I woke to the familiar voice asking for me. "Where's Nessie?" It was Jacob…I knew Jacob's scent and his voice and…and there was someone else downstairs. I sat up, looking around to find myself in my mom and dad's room overlooking the river. The sun was rising in the sky and I wondered absently what time it was as I tried to puzzle out the new smell, but the pixies were making it hard. I stretched, remembering the nightmare with some embarrassment before trying to brush it away. I didn't want to think about it…not now. Instead, I got out of their giant bed that they didn't sleep in (I pointedly did not think about what they actually did in the bed) and stood, stretching once more as my bare feet hit the thick carpet that filled the entire house.

Slipping out of their bedroom, closing the door behind me, and nearly ran into Jasper who chuckled, catching me by the shoulders. "Good morning." He greeted with a grin, ruffling my hair. I gave him a look, trying to fix it, but before I could, Alice appeared behind me with a brush and, before I could even attempt to make myself look presentable, she had braided may hair and twisted it into a little bun at the back of my head.

"Morning." I wiped at my eyes, thanking Alice when she placed a little pin in my hair, and she kissed the top of my head. I was almost as tall as Alice…Carlisle thought I would be almost as tall as Edward by the time I was done growing, and I was getting taller every day. Still, I was only up to Jasper's shoulder. "Who's downstairs?"

"That's what we were just going to figure out." He told me with a grin.

"Get dressed." Alice shooed me toward my own room. "I set out your outfit for today."

"I can pick out my own clothes." I told her, rolling my eyes, and Jasper laughed, pulling me into a quick hug before leaning against the wall, gesturing for me to go on, and I hurried into my bedroom, throwing on the frilly skirt and top, yanking socks on and ignoring the shoes. We weren't going anywhere and I doubted they'd make me go to school today…my aunt just liked dressing me up. She scowled when I hurried past her, the shoes thrown back into the closet, and Jasper laughed, reaching out and grabbing me, making me laugh against my will when his hands found my sides, his finger digging into the sensitive skin there, and I screeched, fighting him as hard as I could, but he didn't relent until I heard my dad's voice.

"What, exactly, are you doing to my daughter?" He asked, sounding amused, and I reached out for him.

"Daddy!" I cried, trying to sound pitiful, and he laughed, flashing forward and taking me from my brother, kissing my hair and setting me at his feet. "Good morning. Are you coming downstairs?" I nodded.

"Who's here?"

"Jacob and…another wolf." He rolled his eye, his arm around me as we headed downstairs. My mom, who was speaking softly to Jacob and…another tall, broad shouldered man that was standing over by Zara. Astley was standing between the wolf and Zara, who slumped against the sofa, and my family stayed away from the other man, my uncle Emmett staying between Rosalie and the man.

"Hey Nessie." Jacob greeted me, and the wolf turned to look at me, lifting an eyebrow. "This is Nick." He introduced the other wolf, and I realized there was some tension between them.

'Two alphas?' I wondered, but smiled at Jacob, greeting him then hurried over to my mom's side, not missing how my grandparents and uncles moved closer to Nick, obviously keeping a close eye on him.

"Nick, this is my daughter, Renesmee." My mother told him, her hand on my shoulder as we sat down, and he did the same, nodding to me. My dad sat on Mom's other side, taking her hand, and my grandparents sat on the other side of me, my grandmother touching my arm for a moment.

"You're the one that saved Zara?" He confirmed, sitting beside the girl, but Astley moved between them, giving the wolf a sharp look. Zara sighed softly, but moved over to give him room. I nodded, looking down at my lap, suddenly shy with this strange man that was looking at me so intently.

"Renesmee found her in the woods after she was attacked by some of the werewolves here." My father put in, and Nick nodded.

"Well...thank you, regardless."

Zara

Everyone was a bit on edge, their eyes all on either Astley or the weres, and I felt Astley touch my arm, obviously able to feel my worry. As the afternoon had passed into evening, Esme had disappeared into the kitchen, cooking dinner for everyone that needed to eat, and the vampires had questioned us and the weres. "This…Frank?" Carlisle had asked. "He's a danger to you?"

"He's a king." Astley had explained, and I hadn't been able to miss Nick's glare when Astley had taken my hand. "He doesn't have a queen, and he wants Zara."

"He wants…Zara?" Edward had asked, obviously confused.

"A queen keeps a king stable." Astley had sighed, glancing over at me. "Zara…a king who is ruling must have a queen. I need Zara. Frank knows that. He will do anything to take her away from me…kill her if he has to."

"What about us?" Emmett put in, his arms crossed as he leaned against the doorframe.

"You shouldn't be in any danger." Nick had put in. "The pack around here probably doesn't like vampires…we didn't really get to talk to them."

"But they like pixies even less." Jacob put in, looking at my ex-friend irritably. I had to force myself not to roll my eyes at ridiculous werewolves.

"Pixies cannot enter a home uninvited, regardless." Astley had told them all. "They cannot come into your home. And the werewolves around here will keep them away from you. After we leave…and we will leave as soon as Zara is able, they will have no reason to bother you. Vampires and pixies typically don't come into contact with one another…rather, none of the pixies I know have ever come into contact with vampires.

At that point, Esme had come out with several plates of food, and I'd thanked her quietly, taking a bite of the pasta and watching the two weres dig in. Renesmee, too, began to eat her pasta, more nibbling than actually eating. Instead, she was sneaking glances at Nick and Jacob, then at us. While I had my glamour up, Astley hadn't yet put his back, and he was blue with bright silver eyes. For a moment I was temped to drop mine…I knew it would driving Renesmee crazy that she couldn't study us…she seemed to be like her grandfather like that, and Nick was annoying me. He kept glaring at Astley, especially when he touched me.

'Who does he think he is? We're not together…he doesn't even like me anymore.' I thought irritably, trying to focus on the conversation.

"You don't have to be in any hurry." Esme tried to assure us, obviously speaking only to Astley and myself. The others had all noticed the tension between us and Nick, and they didn't seem particularly fond of the were…not that I was either. Sighing and leaning back against the sofa, I dropped the glamour. Astley only glanced at me for a moment, hiding any surprise he felt, and turned back to the vampires. Renesmee was actually staring at me by then, and Nick glared. I ignored him, smiling at Renesmee and showing her the teeth, making her laugh softly, smiling back and showing me her own teeth, flat and normal looking, but, I had a feeling, still dangerous like the rest of her family.

The rest of her family all ignored my change, only smiling a little at Renesmee's curiosity as she looked at me, and Carlisle continued to ask questions of Astley and Nick. Honestly, I just wanted to heal and go home. I had a feeling this family was in danger because of us, and I hated that, no matter what Astley said. Even if the pixies couldn't come into the house, the family might still be in danger. They'd been kind to us, all of them. They'd taken us in and cooked for us and helped me heal…they didn't deserve all this crap that was following us around. They deserved to be happy, and with us there, they were in danger.

Renesmee

I couldn't believe they'd actually made me go to school! Things at home were just getting interesting! The werewolves and the pixies…it was like a good TV show! Not that life was usually boring in my family…but this was more interesting than usual. Everyone was on edge, waiting for Jacob and Nick to start fighting, waiting for the pixies to show up…waiting for anything. But Alice had been on the lookout and my parents had insisted I go to school. "You got to stay home yesterday." My mother had told me with a kiss on my forehead.

"You all get to stay home!" I'd whined, making my family laugh, and Emmett had stuck his head into my bedroom where my mother was fixing my hair.

"When you're as old as we are, you can skip school whenever you want, deal?"

"I'll never be as old as you!" I'd snapped. "You're ancient." He'd stuck his tongue out at me then disappeared, and my father had taken his place, my backpack in hand.

"I'll drive you." He had offered, sitting on my bed and watching my Mom as she fixed my long hair into a complicated braid.

"No thanks." I'd grumbled. I liked walking. He'd nodded.

"Okay. Just make sure you take your phone, but don't have it on during school."

"But what if you need to call me?" He'd chuckled.

"If we need your werewolf expertise, I'll come get you." He promised, flashing over and kissing my hair before heading back downstairs. I grumbled under my breath, making my mom smack me gently against the back of my head.

"Behave." She'd scolded, tugging my hair into place, then kneeling in front of me. "You know you have to go to school, sweetheart." She'd told me, touching my face and moving a stray hair artfully behind my ear. "It'll be over before you know it."

"Please?" I had tried, making my face as sad as I could, but she only laughed softly, tapping me on the nose.

"No. I'll see you after school. Be careful." And with that, I'd been sent off. Sent off to school to watch other people struggle with long division while my family of vampires played host to the pixies and werewolves…shapeshifters. Whatever. But while my family was having fun with the pixies and the werewolves…shapeshifters….whatever, I got to sit in school. All day. But it was over eventually, and I finally got to go home. I hurried home through the forest, anxious to get back to my family and Zara and Astley…and Nick. I wanted to learn more about these strange creatures! My father often teased me, telling me I was too much like my grandfather.

Something was in the forest. I felt my blood freeze, a strange feeling…I was almost never really afraid. I never had to be. My family would protect me at all costs and there wasn't much that could hurt me. But now, with the introduction of these strange blue creatures and odd werewolves…well, I suddenly understood what it meant when people said that they froze in terror. My stomach clenched as I turned, hearing my name. "Renesmee. Renesmee, come to me." I didn't know what crazy part of my brain felt compelled to listen, but I found myself taking a step toward the forest, suddenly sure that whatever was out there wouldn't hurt me. I reached out, taking another step, my body feeling oddly heavy and tired as I pushed a branch back, stepping off the trail that would lead me back home. Surely I was safe. I wasn't afraid.

Until I saw the woman. She looked like Zara, but more terrifying. Her eyes were wild…feral. Her sharp teeth made a jolt of horror zip down my spine, and I felt myself take an involuntary step back when I caught sight of her silver, cruel eyes set against blue skin. She wore a long, flowing dress, and had short, black hair that almost reminded me of Alice. I took another step back, sure that this creature's pointed teeth and impossibly sharp claws could hurt me. I could certainly bleed.

Turning on my heels, I made my legs move as fast as they could, a scream caught in my throat. I couldn't run as fast as my family…that usually didn't bother me. I kept up with them when we played games, using Jasper's advice to help me outmaneuver them when possible. And of course they were careful with me…even if I wasn't as strong or as fast, they wanted me to be able to play with them. But at the moment, I was wishing for the super speed of my father, or the strength of my uncle Emmett or my mom…back when she was still a newborn. My hair flew behind me as I ran, and it was that which proved my undoing.

I did cry out when hands gripped my hair, forcing me to a painful stop and throwing me onto the ground. I was a little over two miles from the house…if I screamed, they could hear me. But a blue hand crushed my face, forcing my nose into the dirt, and I gasped for breath painfully, my heart racing. I tried to scream, forcing an elbow back, and found purchase in what felt like a stomach. The creature shrieked and fell back, and I was on my feet again.

"Little b*tch!" The female screamed, and she leapt at me, her sharp claws raking across my face. I screamed at the horrible, stinging pain, and screamed again, gasping in agony when something clawed across my stomach. What was it doing? The female laughed, her teeth sinking into my wrist, and I groaned in pain, dropping to my knees. Blood…blood soaked the front of my shirt and dripped into my eyes, and I felt my eyes start to droop as the blood left my body painfully.

"Mmm…you don't smell like the others…and you don't taste like a human. What are you?" I hissed, baring my teeth and snapping at her, instincts from my father's side taking over, and she laughed, jerking away easily. "You're not as fast as they are either, are you little one. A Halfling then?" I tried to kick her off, making her roll her eyes in amusement. "I'm starving…and Frank told us to pick off anyone that tried to help the princess…" I had no idea what that meant, but before I could build up a proper scream, her teeth sank into my wrist once more, and I gasped, writhing in pain.

The snarl came from my right….just as my head hit the ground, a large, familiar shape flew through the air, and I managed another scream when her teeth were torn from my wrist. "Ness! Nessie!" My wrist throbbed and my stomach ached and I felt hot tears pooling in my eyes and slipping down my face, reminding me that that hurt too. Strong arms wrapped around me and I felt my mother press her lips against my hair as I slumped against her. "Renesmee!" She screamed, her voice raw and almost hoarse.

"Mommy?" I was crying, my whole body throbbing with the pain as she tried to stop the bleeding.

"Oh, god…oh baby, hang on." Something pressed against my stomach and I sobbed, trying to curl up and away from the painful pressure until it became too much, and my vision faded to black just as she pulled me into her arms.

Zara

I smelled the blood right after the others…everyone in the room stiffened, and Carlisle and his son, Edward, leapt to their feet right as Bella shoved the door open, her daughter in her arms. Astley stared at the girl, his eyes wide in shock. "Pixies." He whispered, reaching down to touch my arms. I smelled them on her too…when had the girl run into pixies?

"Renesmee?" Edward was at his wife's side in the time it took me to blink, his hand carefully touching her face that had been split open from her temple, down under her cheek, and across her mouth. "Nessie? Bella, what happened?" The woman wasn't speaking though…she just sobbed, her eyes closed, until he stepped around her, gently wrapping his arms around her as their father and the leader of the family stepped up, reaching out to take his granddaughter. To my surprise, Bella snarled, her eyes blazing and her teeth snapping at him. He didn't seem at all offended…or even surprised. Instead, he moved slowly, nodding to Edward who restrained her, letting him take the child. Bella screamed, her eyes wild, all traces of the friendly young girl gone.

"Give her back! Renesmee!" Edward shushed her, turning her around and rocking her back and forth.

"Shh, Bella. Shhh, my love. Carlisle has Renesmee. He's going to help her." After a moment, she seemed to collapse against him, and while the long haired male and the girl who was his mate moved over to Bella's side, reaching out and touching her shoulder or taking her hand, the other two went to Carlisle's side, watching grimly as the doctor lifted her shirt. The wound was much different than mine…while a werewolf had torn me open, the pixie's mark was more narrow…and deeper. A ragged line cut across her stomach right above her belly button, oozing blood until Carlisle covered it with a rag that Esme handed him, putting steady pressure on it, then thanking her when she gave him a towel instead.

"Emmett, cover the wound on her face. Rosalie, wrap her wrist. She's losing a lot of blood…hurry." It was almost funny to watch the giant male take the rag so gently and place it against the child's face, barely pressing down. "Harder, Emmett. You've got to stop the blood…she's already out. You won't hurt her." He nodded, pressing more firmly.

"It's going to be okay, Nessie." He whispered, touching her shoulder, but the child didn't respond.

"Your kind did this." Carlisle bit out, looking back at us sharply, but before I could even shake my head, Astley was speaking.

"Pixies did, yes. But not my pixies. None of my subjects are around here, I can promise you that. My pixies would never have harmed a child."

"Friend's of yours then?" Emmett snapped, glaring at Astley in particular. My king sighed.

"Not exactly. They want to kill us…to kill Zara."

"We have to leave." Astley looked down at me, reaching for my shoulder, but I shook my head. "Astley, we have to leave, now! Look what they did to Bella's daughter! What if they attack her again?"

"They won't be getting anywhere near her." Jasper snarled, squeezing Bella's shoulder one last time before heading toward the door, Alice on his heels. "We'll be back later." He snarled. I shook my head again.

"No, you can't!" The male froze, looking at me, first in anger, then surprise as he must have read my emotions. "They'll kill you! You don't understand…there are so many of them. Astley, we're putting them in danger!" My voice was almost hysterical as I tried to move...we had to leave.

"You're not well enough to travel." He argued softly, stopping me when I tried to stand up. The two vampires left the house without another word, the door slamming behind them.

"I'll heal at home…away from these people. This is my fault…I can't stay here."

"Astley is right, you are not well enough to travel, dear." Esme argued softly while Carlisle remained silent, pressing the towel against the girl's stomach. Bella was silent as well, clutching her husband, her body trembling as she waited, and Edward watched in terror while his father worked.

"She needs blood…now. Edward, get me a bag…it doesn't matter which type. Her body should accept anything." Edward gently released his wife, nodding to Esme who moved to hold the girl. "They must have drank from her…she's so cold." He dug in his bag, letting Rosalie take over as she held the towel against the girl's stomach for a moment, and pulled out a needle.

"Shh, Bella." Esme tried to comfort her daughter, rocking them back and forth, but Bella wouldn't be comforted. She was watching in sheer terror as her father worked on the child, her hands clutching her mother's. Emmett reached out from the child's head, taking Bella's hand and smiling a little at her.

"She'll be okay, Bells. Don't worry. Carlisle has her." He tried to soothe her.

"Do you need any help?" Astley asked softly, and the doctor shook his head, making an effort to sound friendly as he started to set up what looked like a makeshift IV, then inserted the needle into the girl's arm. The little girl didn't even flinch.

"No, thank you. There are enough of us to handle this." Astley nodded.

"Then please, excuse me. I'm going to help Jasper and Alice locate these pixies and…have a talk with them." I wanted to go…I wanted to find the monster that had attacked the poor girl, the one who'd saved my life, and kill them…but I could barely walk on my own.

"I'm going to go upstairs…get out of your way." I tried to stand, but I was barely given the chance before Astley scooped me up in his arms, carrying me toward the staircase. "I'm so sorry." I whispered the words, my eyes closed as Astley stepped onto the first step. "This is my fault and I'm so sorry."

"This is not your fault, honey." Esme argued quietly. "We know you never wished for this to happen. We will take care of Renesmee. She'll be fine." She had switched to soothing Bella by the end of that sentence, and with that, Astley carried me back up to the guest room.

He started to leave me on the bed…I don't know why I clutched his hand, tears falling from my face. "My fault…no matter what they say, this is my fault, Astley!" He sighed, shaking his head, and sat across from me as I cried.

"This is not your fault, Zara!" He told me sharply, his hands on my shoulder. Downstairs, I could hear Carlisle's quiet, terse voice ordering Edward to get more blood. The child was still out…I anxiously waited for her to wake up. I needed her to be okay…the poor kid had saved my life and look where that had gotten her.

"She was coming by from school, Astley. She…she was just walking home…why would they…"

"Frank's pixies know we're here. They probably know that my queen is hurt, and that they are harboring us. They'll do anything."

"Exactly!" I cried. "We have to leave. I can't do this to them! They're in danger!"

"Zara, you can't travel yet. You have to stay here, just for another few days. Okay? You're healing quickly, but you need rest. I'm going to make sure Jasper and his mate are okay…I'll speak with the pixies…kill them if I can. Just stay here." He looked anxious, his hands firm on my shoulders as he pressed me back against the bed, and as much as I wanted to fight him, my stomach was killing me. I nodded, closing my eyes as tears continued to fall, and he backed away slowly, then leapt out of the window.

I didn't know how long I cried, my hands hiding my face. I wanted to go home. I wanted this stupid war to be over…I wanted to be human again! I wanted to go back to a time where I hadn't known about pixies or werewolves or…or vampires! I barely noticed the soft tap on my door, but when I glanced up, I found the big male, Emmett, at my door. "I'm sorry." I sobbed, shaking my head and hiding in my hands. "I'm so sorry."

"I know you didn't do this." He sounded a bit frustrated, and I noticed the blood on his hands that he absently wiped on his jeans. I couldn't look away from the blood, even as he stepped into the room and stood at the foot of the bed. "Esme sent me to ask if you were okay."

"No." I whispered, covering my face. "Is Renesmee…is she going to be okay?"

He sighed harshly, crossing his arms, but his face was more worried than angry. "Yeah, she'll be okay. Carlisle is a great doctor…he's the best doctor there is. He'll take care of her." He paused, his face softening. "You're bleeding again." I looked weakly down at my stomach and groaned, putting my hand against the wound that had somehow opened again. "Let me get…"

"No!" I snapped. "Don't you dare take anyone away from Renesmee! I'm fine." He chuckled a little, the sound a little sad.

"You sound like Bella…well, before she was changed. Here." He moved over to where I was laying, taking the cloth he'd been using and, pushing my shirt up, holding the cloth to the wound. "You heal fast."

"One of the perks, I guess." I mumbled with a shrug. He let me take over, stepping back once more. "My blood doesn't bother you?"

"Nah. You guys smell weird…not bad. Just…not appetizing."

"Thanks…" He chuckled, sitting on the bed across from me. "Are you sure she'll be okay?"

"Yeah. She's still out. Carlisle says it's the blood loss. She almost never gets hurt…she's a pretty tough kid, and we all look out for her…don't you have a family that's worried about you?"

"Um…I'm a pixie." I told him simply, but at his confused frown, I exhaled, leaning back against the pillow to look at him. "When I was human, I had friends and a grandmother and…and a mom and dad. But my stepdad…he…he died. He had a heart attack and I um…I moved to live with my grandmother. I just…I couldn't…" I shook my head, wiping furiously at my eyes. 'I should be over this….' I told myself sharply, but Emmett only looked understanding…and curious.

"Sorry." He told me simply, looking down at the blankets for a moment, but I shook my head.

"No…I liked living with my gram. I started dating Nick…and found out that he was a were….a shapeshifter, like you call them. And my gram too…and then Astley came along." He was still watching me, patient and curious, one eyebrow lifted, but I felt the need to hurry the story along. "But, uh…well Nick got killed and then…Astley turned me into a pixie…into his queen, so that I could save Nick. But everyone in my family hates pixies…and so does Nick."

"Ah." He nodded, a grim smile turning his lips upward. "Got it. So you saved him, but he hates you?"

"Yeah…pretty much."

"Sucks." He told me sympathetically, and I had to laugh a little.

"Yeah…yeah it does. All this supernatural stuff…it's total crap." I grumbled.

"So you and the pixie guy…"

"Um…I'm his queen." I answered with a shrug.

"Which means….?"

"No idea. I mean, I kind of feel when he needs me and he can feel my emotions sometimes and…I don't know. It's weird. There hasn't really been time to talk about it." He nodded. "But, uh…you can tell Esme that I'm okay. Just…focus on Renesmee." He nodded, standing and heading back out to the door. "Emmett?"

"Yeah?" He turned, crossing his arms once more.

"Just…can you tell Edward and Bella…tell them…I'm so sorry." My voice dropped off at the end and he nodded, his face almost sympathetic as he left the room. "Oh, and you're blue again." He chuckled softly as he headed down the stairs and I clicked my jaw irritably, switching the glamour back on.

Thank you so much to everyone who is still reading. I hope you enjoyed the chapter!