A/N: Disclaimer in first chapter.

Chapter 16

June 15, 2006, Thursday

"You can't go to the funeral. It's in La Push and that isn't our land.

Angela looked as if she was getting this whole vampire thing down. She was out of it for just a hair over fourteen hours and she woke up with relatively the same amount of control I had bloodlust-wise. After couple of days I really didn't worry about what she did or where she went. Just like I had, her control was brilliant, her thirst manageable, and desire to annoy the shape shifters at an all-time high.

"He's my uncle. They can't keep me away."

"I'm pretty sure they can if they want. It's tribal land and you're my Heir Presumptive. Invading their territory is kind of a declaration of war. That's what we're trying to avoid."

She sat down and growled right after. "This sucks. Can't you like zap them or something with your superpower?"

"Yes, and if what Leah says is true then they won't be able to shift afterward. While I can't stand their assholeish tendencies, I won't deny them the ability to defend themselves against average evil vampires. They've gotten a little better about training ever since Jacob took over as Alpha."

Angela sat there contemplatively for a moment. "How did you hurt him like that?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. It was the first time I really consciously used my gift and that was as an enhanced human. He tried to attack I caught him in mid-transformation, and he got stuck that way until I released him. I'm told it hurt, so much that when he tried to phase again it hurt just as badly. That may be why others turned into wolves, to compensate."

"Leah told you all this?"

I nodded. "Ever since Sam cheated on her with Harry Clearwater's approval she's been spying on him to find out what's going on. They've got this thing called Imprinting. The shifter looks at a girl they've got the hots for and zaps her with some kind of Quileute mystical eye thing and they're stuck in a relationship forever."

Angela's mouth dropped open in horror.

"I know, right? That's what happened with her cousin and Sam. The way Leah explained it she's trapped with the guy that clawed up her face. He won't let her go off the Rez and she has to cook for all the other wolves. That's yet another in a long list of reasons she wants to bolt and become a vampire. Apparently, we're immune. She's making sure not to look at any of them at the funeral, and then she's grabbing her stuff and leaving right after."

"That's awful," she whispered.

"I'm so glad Jacob hadn't figured out the eye-zappy thing while I was still human. I would have found a way to stab his ass in the heart, mystical Indian shit or not."

"You're cussing a lot more lately."

Running my hand through my hair I smiled at her. "Being a parent is tough work, and now Aro wants me to turn a girl that could wind up being half vampire and half shapeshifter. It's like some bad version of Underworld."

Angela's eye lit up. "Ohh, Scott Speedman, yum."

I snorted. "Whatever. Kate Beckinsale in tight latex and a corset, yum!"

"You're such a lesbian."

"I wonder if I could get contacts that glow blue like hers. That would have been such a cool color to have."

"What are you two talking about," Katja came from upstairs waving her hand in the air. "And what's with all the pheromones in the air."

"Scott Speedman."

"Kate Beckinsale in latex."

"Underworld," she said as she rolled her eyes. "Like we would ever need guns to kill a werewolf."

~O~

Translated from Quileute

"I'm in."

"Are you sure you want to do this, Leah?"

"It won't take long. In—out, you getting soft on me, Black?"

"Don't piss me off. I don't like you being this close to them."

"Swan is a flake. She's lucked out all this time. Without her powers she's just another leech. Give me a month or two to really get in and I'll have her head for Sam on a platter."

"Yeah, it's that month or two that I'm worried about. I've heard about what goes on in that house. Fucking lesbian orgies, pouring blood all over each other, and that new pack of leeches that moved in is even worse. They turned their fucking twelve year old daughter into one of them."

"Don't worry about it. I just need to get her alone. The elders are sure I can't be turned into one of them? They're positive?"

"You doubting the legends now, even after all the proof?

"I just don't want to be stuck as one of them. I got your word you'll kill me if they turn me into a leech? Swear on your mother's spirit, Black."

"I swear."

"Fine. Then Bella Swan is as good as dead."

~O~

Translated from Italian

"It looks as if Miss Clearwater will more if a handful than I previously thought. You're sure this is the only contact she has had, Jane?"

"Yes, Master. Shall I dispose of the traitor?"

"Hmm, not yet. We'll call this a test for my dear cousin. If she succeeds then we'll move on. If she dies then we'll know that Caius was correct and she wasn't worth all this effort. It's all in how she deals with this newest wrinkle."

"As you wish, Master."

"Don't look so disappointed, Jane. You may be seeing your brother sooner than expected."

End Book One.

A/N: I realize there are dozens of sub-plots left dangling, but this is done on purpose. I'll be posting a notification when I begin the second book, so I suggest you either favorite this story or set an alert. I want to write ahead just a few chapters to have something posted virtually every day like this one was. That way in case I feel crappy and or something takes me away from the computer that day you won't have to suffer a cliffy or anything.

Thanks again for leaving me your comments, reviews, and questions.