Picking up the Pieces, 22: Hybrid
Title: Picking up the Pieces
Author: exquisite_ugly
Rating/Warnings: M (language, future explicit sex)
Summary: Bella returns to Forks a few years after having married Edward and moving to Alaska. Mistakes and regrets, loneliness and grief, she severs ties and returns to those she truly loves to start over. What will she come home to? AU, A/D/R, M-language/sex
*~*~*
It's holding me, morphing me/And forcing me to strive/To be endlessly cold within/And dreaming I'm alive/'Cause I want it now, I want it now/Give me your heart and your soul/I'm not breaking down, I'm breaking out/Last chance to lose control
*~*~*
BPOV
My body didn't feel like my own. I could feel something coursing through my veins, a force that needed to be unleashed. It was scary, confusing, and strangely exhilarating. I knew because of Edward and his family that this wasn't exactly me turning into a vampire; there was no process where I went through intense suffering for days before I turned.
It hurt, my body had jack-knifed with the pain, but I was all too aware of my surroundings and it didn't take long. The pain in my mouth as the fangs grew was quick and biting; fangs so like Jacob when he was a wolf. It didn't make any sense to me. My body felt as if it were freezing and hardening, but my face felt strangely like it had elongated. I had the fangs of a wolf and the urge to protect others from vampires, so I knew this had to be different. There had been no legends about people randomly turning into werewolves.
It scared the hell out of me, but at the same time the power was a drug. For once in my life, in some way, I could understand how it was for Jacob to be a wolf and Edward to be a vampire. I looked down at my hands which were remarkably human and there was definitely no hair, so I wasn't actually a wolf.
When I sat up, my eyes met Jacob's. I could see so clearly and every little detail. The slight indent in Jacob's chin that I never noticed before, the shimmer in his glossy, black hair, and every line of muscle in his arm was noticeable. The rush of love was still there for which I was eternally grateful. I still loved and desired him; there was no disgust even with the vampire additions. I registered that everyone was there, shock evident in their features, but I couldn't take my eyes off the russet-skinned man in front of me, fear holding him frozen in place. A new thought occurred to me, and I felt a fissure of worry. I still loved Jake, but with what happened… did he still love me?
Tentatively, I reached up and stroked his face, tracing the edge of his lips. Surprised and pleased, he felt warm to me. Whatever I was, I could feel warmth, so I knew I wasn't a full-on vampire. He was staring at me, the look in his eyes conflicting. There was so much shock, so much confusion - everything I felt as well. When I pressed my palm to his chest, he winced, but I could see his love for me. Relief eased through me, but I frowned in confusion at the wince.
His hand touched mine, slowly easing the grip of my fingers, and I realized I was actually hurting him. The strength in my body wasn't imagined; it was really there.
"Bella?" A soft voice over my shoulder said. Annoyed at the interruption of my exploration of Jacob's face, I flicked a glance over toward Carlisle.
"How do you feel?" he asked.
I pondered that briefly and said, "Strong. Healthy. Powerful."
He knelt down close to me and asked, "Do you mind if I take a better look at you?"
I shrugged, not really caring. He hesitantly tilted my chin so he could get a better look at my teeth. When his eyes finished skimming over my face, he met my eyes. The look of shocked curiosity was still there.
"Bells?" Jake finally said. He had regained his voice and pressed his fingers to my chest, right over my heart. The realization that he wasn't sure if I was still alive or not made me feel sad, but my heart still beat. The relief on his face was palpable. "You're still you," he said, happy and even more confused.
"What happened to me?" I asked Carlisle. He was still staring at me, just as the other wolves and Cullen's were as well.
His mouth opened and closed unsure of what to say. "I… don't know," he admitted. "I've never heard of anything like this before. I have a feeling it has something to do with the combination of having the venom in your body and something to do with Jacob, though."
I pondered that and stood up and stared at Carlisle. I could see the idea slowly dawning on the faces of Jake and the others. "Does that mean what I think it means? The fact that I was with Edward and now with Jacob… the mix of the two created some kind of… hybrid?"
We were skirting the issue, but the idea was creepy. And kind of disgusting.
Jake looked a little sick to his stomach, so he felt the same way I did about it. Edward just looked frozen, not moving in the slightest. I reached out for Jake's hand, comforted by the warmth and the reassuring squeeze.
"That would be my best guess," Carlisle said.
"How on earth is this possible?" Alice murmured.
No one had an answer, but Leah had made her way over to me and began sniffing my leg. It was an odd thing for a friend to do, but this wasn't exactly a normal situation. She snuffled at my knee, my hand, and then bared her teeth at me and whined in confusion. I knew she was freaked out, but her eyes expressed her loyalty. She stood by my side as slowly the other wolves expressed their loyalty to Jake, their alpha, by coming to stand behind us as well.
I was scared, but my new transformation stopped me from being able to produce tears even as I felt the urge to cry. It was an unnerving and not very human thing; something I didn't like.
Carlisle sighed quietly. "The Volturi is coming, but we have a little time. Maybe one of your tribal elders will have an idea? We're going to convene at our old home for now with your permission." He looked to Jake questioningly.
Jake's expression wavered, and I looked up at him. "Do what you think is right," I assured him.
The tension around his eyes eased at my words. "I don't want you here," he said coldly. "We can take care of our own problems."
Edward bared his teeth slightly, the first movement he made since this happened to me, but he remained quiet.
"But in light of what happened to Bella, it might be beneficial to keep you around for now. You'll fight against the Volturi, but you will not come onto the reservation unless you're given the go-ahead. And if Bella or any one of my pack members suffers at the hands of them, or is killed, I will hold you personally responsible."
Rose and Emmett were bristling with concealed rage, but Alice and Jasper remained curiously unaffected. Esme looked upset, though Carlisle seemed to understand. He nodded at Jake, and I could see his edict warring with his gratitude to Carlisle for coming to my aid so readily when I needed.
After the Cullen's left, I turned to Jake. "Do you think Old Quil or your dad would be able to help?"
The pack had phased back to human form and began dressing discreetly. I could hear the swish of their shorts being pulled on, their soft breathing, and the snap of buttons snapping into place.
"I should have thought of him before," Jake said. "He's always had skills none of us ever had. Quil? Do you think your grandfather would be okay with this? I'd like to see if he has an idea."
Quil nodded, running a hand through his hair, looking at me worriedly. "Yeah, I'm sure he'll be willing to see if there's anything he can do. Why don't I go on ahead and ask him if he can meet you at your dad's place?"
He took off with the pack in tow, leaving me and Jake facing each other. Jake reached out and brushed the back of his hand across my cheek. "You still feel so soft and warm," he said quietly. "You feel like you."
I moved in close, wrapping my arms around his waist. He shifted slightly and I quickly relaxed my grip a little. "Sorry," I murmured. "I am me, mostly. I'm scared, Jake."
He tilted my chin up. "So am I. I don't know what this means, but maybe we can get some answers. Whatever it is, we're in this together, right?"
I kissed him then, feeling the warmth of his mouth move against mine, but not before I saw the uncertainty in his eyes.
*~*~*
JPOV
Bella had asked if we could go through the forest to my dad's house, and I realized why as soon as we made it into the privacy of the towering trees. She was a blur, racing through the trees at breakneck speed. It was an unnerving sight, but even as a human, I had a decent amount of speed myself. She was still faster with the vampire ability, but I managed to keep track of her.
She came to a stop near the tree line and glanced back at me. Even through the fear of what this meant, what could happen, she currently had a smile on her face. "Sorry," she said sheepishly. "I really wanted to do that. It was fun."
I couldn't help laughing. She curled her fingers around mine and we went in to see if Billy and Old Quil would know what to do. I knew the pack was around, waiting to hear word, but kept their distance to give us privacy. Billy was seated at the table with Old Quil looking shell-shocked. When they caught sight of us, they scrutinized Bella carefully.
"What's happening to me?" Bella asked quietly, worry creeping back into her voice. "Carlisle Cullen had a theory, but we thought maybe the two of you could help."
Old Quil's weather-beaten face was somber and still as he motioned Bella forward. She stood next to him, casting a look back at me. He took her hand in his wrinkled one, frowning with concentration. Billy was still examining her and finally said, "This is unbelievable. I can see the differences however subtle they are. Your eyes…"
He trailed off, clearly worried about the similarity to vampires. "How do you feel?"
Bella bit her lip and murmured, "I feel normal except I feel strong and everything is much clearer and in greater detail. I can sense and feel things I hadn't before either."
"You have no desire to feed?" he asked curiously.
She cringed at the thought. "No, I don't. Thankfully."
Old Quil had his eyes closed as he concentrated. He mumbled a few indistinct words in Quileute, words even I didn't recognize, and laid a hand over Bella's lower abdomen. The silence in the room became thick as we waited anxiously. He frowned, mumbling, and shook his head.
Finally, he opened his eyes. "The Spirits aren't forthcoming about everything, but yes, there's a melding of vampire venom with the essence of a wolf inside you. It's unheard of for one of our wolf protectors to be enamored with a vampire, but this is the result; as if you're a vessel. What would happen if the natural enemies came together would be a hybrid."
Bella clenched her jaw. "Is it permanent?"
Old Quil was still touching her stomach. He concentrated again for a moment and finally said, "The ability you have to block vampires who have powers of the mind? It's almost like immunity; it kept you from being turned into a vampire due to the venom. The best I can tell is that the reaction of being with Jake while having this venom in you is what forced the wolf tendencies on you as well. Being around both the vampires and wolves at the same time is what finally triggered it."
"I don't think it's permanent, but time will tell," he continued. "It happened for a reason. Your ability shields you from phasing or turning, though, so whatever is the dominant part of you will come forth, which I would believe is human considering that's what you are."
A shaky sigh of relief escaped both of us when he said that.
After thanking Old Quil, we informed the pack of what he said and they agreed to meet in the clearing at sundown. There was no scent of bloodsuckers right now, so the reservation was safe, but we wouldn't take any chances. When we were alone, Bella leaned into me and sighed.
"He seemed pretty certain, right?" she asked me nervously.
I rubbed a hand up and down her back. "Yeah, he did. Old Quil has always been intuitive, honey. It's part of being a medicine man, a healer. I'm sure there's a reason for this and everything will work out in the end."
She sighed and said, "I hope so, though this whole discussion makes me queasy. The fact that my sex life keeps coming up as the main reason why this happened makes it really uncomfortable to talk about."
Even though it involved the fact that she had sex with that bloodsucker before, I couldn't help a small laugh. It was just insane, this whole thing, and there just wasn't anything else to do or say about it. "Yeah, like it isn't weird enough," I replied.
We walked on the beach, trying to pretend everything was normal, taking in the cold but sunny afternoon. The air was biting, though this time Bella didn't seem particularly bothered by it. The changes were unnerving. I wanted the old Bella back, the girl who was still occasionally clumsy. The girl who was strong just as she was without any added power and the girl who was all human and wanted a normal life with me. I knew she still wanted those things, but this was out of the realm of normal and we both knew it.
The wind was picking up and the threat of snow was in the leaden sky. We perched on our old driftwood log, just staring out to sea, trying to absorb everything that happened. Bella sighed and leaned her head against my shoulder. "Jake? Would you still love me and want to be with me if I stayed this way?"
Understanding her silence, I held her against me. "Oh, Bells, is that what you're worried about?"
"Partially," she admitted. "I know you're here with me now, but there's hope that I'll go back to being human after all is said and done. But in some ways, I'm like a vampire. There would be no children for sure. Can you live with that if something goes wrong and I stay this way?"
This was the closest I would ever get to a vampire. I wanted her to be back as she was, but this was Bella. No matter what, it was still her deep down, and I would always love her. Sticking through things together was what we'd learned over the months in getting back together, and I wasn't going to give up on that now.
"Yes," I said with utter certainty. "I want you no matter what you are and what you can do."
She opened her mouth to say something, but I kissed her. Her smile spreading against my mouth made me pull her closer, wrap my arms around her, and we both tumbled back off the log in a heap of arms and legs.
"Is this a good idea?" she whispered as I worked at her jeans. "I mean, this is partially what made me turn into a hybrid, but…"
"You're already a hybrid, so it doesn't matter," I said. "I'm just going to give you some more wolf."
That made her giggle and she wiggled out of her jeans. "That works for me."
It was amazing how fast she moved, the roll and tumble of our bodies as we reached frantically for each other. She was strong and she was showing it, taking what she wanted. I let her have the control for awhile before I began to show my own strength. She laughed breathlessly when I managed to pin her down and drive my point home - literally. Her laugh turned to a moan as her hips shot up to meet my downward thrusts.
Her nails raked my back and her legs had me in a vise-tight grip, but it didn't matter. I would take anything she dished out.
Afterward, she tugged her jeans back on and rested her chin on my chest, smiling up at me. "I love you, Jacob Black."
"I love you, too."
We headed back to the house soon after as twilight was drawing near. "I should go to Charlie's," she said. "Or maybe I should call him instead. I don't want him to see me like this."
"I think it's too late, Bells," I said. Charlie's cruiser was parked in the driveway and his voice could be heard from inside the house. Charlie came barreling out of the house and stopped short when he saw us. His eyes flashed to Bella, taking in her appearance. Bella didn't move except for the tightening of her hand around mine. I squeezed it back in support. He came over to Bella, hesitating, staring at her as if he'd never seen her before.
"Dad," she started to say, but he just shook his head.
"What happened to you?" he said thickly.
"We don't know exactly. You know about the venom inside me and it seems, um, the combination of me being with Jake…"
She swallowed with difficulty, not knowing how to say it, but Charlie seemed to know the gist of it. He was a little red in the face and Bella looked embarrassed. "It made me a sort of hybrid," she mumbled.
We stood there at a loss for words.
Finally, Charlie said, "Well, I knew I should have shot him when I had the chance. And I'm not so sure about you anymore, Jake."
I felt the crazy urge to laugh, but fought it. It wouldn't exactly help matters.
"It's not Jake's fault," Bella said. "This wouldn't happen normally. I'm an anomaly; no one ever thought a wolf or a vampire would ever come in contact like this. It just happened through me because of the vampire venom. Old Quil believes there's a reason for it, though, and he thinks I'll be human again."
Charlie hesitantly touched Bella's cheek, examining her features. "Okay," he said quietly, surprising me there wasn't any fight to him. "Billy explained some more to me, but if this vampire royalty comes here? I'm not going to stand by and have my daughter or you put your lives at risk while I hide," he said, directing that at me.
"Dad, you can't…" Bella said, worriedly.
"Charlie, it's not safe. We're designed to kill them and the Cullen's - no matter how we feel about them - made a pledge to destroy them if they threaten Bella," I told him.
"Can you honestly tell me that Bella would stay behind even if she wasn't… like this?"
I thought about that for a minute. "No, I guess not…"
"Well then. You know where Bella gets her stubbornness from." I sighed and Bella gave me a frustrated look.
"We'll keep you informed. If we can use you, we'll let you know. There will need to be safeguards put into place. We're the ones that are able to destroy them, but we'll need to burn them after."
Charlie was pacified enough to drop it, though I refused point-blank to let him anywhere near where any fight would go down. Before he left, he turned back to us and the sadness in his eyes was overwhelming.
"I just want my little girl back. And I want her safe."
*~*~*
BPOV
The next couple days were difficult. The human part of me was trying to adjust to the changes. I still slept, but not as much as I had before. The urge to hunt and to run was pretty strong, though I felt no desire to eat anything but real, human food. It made it difficult to see anyone other than the pack because of my eye color and the fangs. There were slight physical changes, but I could at least hide my eyes behind sunglasses. I had to be careful about the way I moved because I was faster, more agile, and it wasn't entirely natural looking.
I went out to run with Leah while Jake spent some time with the pack and the tribal elders. He promised to fill me in on any new developments, but I was feeling antsy and trying to get used to this new energy and harness my strength. I'd already broken a few things in Sue's place. I'd called off work, asking to work from home due to family issues. I was grateful they allowed me to do this.
Leah was waiting for me near the tree line, her dark eyes watching me speculatively as I made my way over to her. She gave a low growl and then took off. I sped after her, feeling the wind rush through my hair, my leg muscles stretch and flex, and I was neck and neck with her. We just ran for awhile, occasionally racing each other until she finally slowed near the cliffs.
I stopped and waited until she phased back.
Pulling a t-shirt on over her head, completely unashamed at changing in front of me, she stared at me. "This is by far the weirdest fucking thing ever," she commented.
I couldn't have agreed more.
"It is," I said. "I admit the speed and strength is nice, but I'm really scared, Leah. I mean this isn't terrible so far, but all I wanted was a normal life. I left Alaska and Edward because I wanted a life with Jake. I wanted the whole package. And now I'm afraid of what this means."
She sat down near the edge of the cliffs, so I sat next to her. The storm clouds from earlier were moving out and glimpses of the fading sunlight were beginning to show as the day came to an end.
"Yeah, I know that feeling. I missed being a wolf actually. Who would've thought I'd end up back here? I still hope that once this is all over, my body can normalize again. Hopefully yours can, too."
I felt guilty. I had interrupted the pack and their normal, human lives because of the threat against me. They had school, work, and there was a baby on the way. Plus, I knew of Leah's struggle with fertility and that was a big thing for her.
"I'm sorry," I said quietly. "I know I'm screwing things up for everyone on some level."
She shook her head, flicking a rock over the edge. She knew exactly what I was referring to. "Bella, we all made the choice to phase back and protect you. Don't wimp out on me and start feeling sorry; you're a freaky hybrid. Act like one."
I laughed. "Thanks, Lee. If I can be a freaky hybrid that no one has ever heard of, I know that anything is possible."
She smiled a little. "Yeah, I haven't lost all hope, Swan. I know that's probably surprising for me, but I've come a long way. I'm still going to try just like you. And I'm going to enjoy trying."
We both cracked up and eased the tension.
It was that night that I got the phone call. Carlisle said they were close to our land, so Jake called Sam to spread the word and we agreed to meet them at a clearing in the woods on the border of the La Push reservation.
I called Charlie to warn him. I didn't want to do it, but I knew if he got wind of it without us telling him it would be a lot worse. I told him a couple of the younger pack members would be guarding him and he finally agreed to stay in the clearing and help burn the parts. It went against everything inside me to allow him to do this, but we had the wolves and the Cullen's to keep the worst at bay.
As we walked through the woods, Jake took me hand and tugged me to a stop. "Bells, whatever happens, don't be a hero. Do what you have to do to protect yourself. You're fast, you're strong, and they aren't going to be expecting what happened to you here. You have the element of surprise, but don't get cocky. I need you safe."
I wrapped my arms around his neck. "Jake, I'm not going to be rash, but if I can help someone who's having trouble I will. You're all important to me, you're all risking your lives, and you're all my family. I love you."
He kissed me fiercely. I reveled in his strength and the love that was so evident in everything he did. When we pulled apart, I saw the Cullen's move into the clearing. Edward's eyes were on me and I could see his frozen expression. It had felt like a lifetime ago that we thought we could never be apart.
But life had changed us irrevocably. My life was with Jacob, the Quileute's, and my life in Alaska was a thing of the past. It was time Edward needed to know that, once and for all.
"I can sense them; they're almost here," Carlisle said quietly.
"We fight and then you leave," Jake replied. "I think you understand that, though."
"I do," he said with a nod.
There was no sound announcing their arrival, but suddenly they were there. They stood in a united front; Aro, Caius, Marcus, Jane, Alec, and quite a few others. Their frozen faces were so identical, their fury palpable.
But what they didn't account for was me.
The surprise was evident as eyes widened and mouths dropped open. I stood before them; a human with vampire strength, the strength and speed of my wolf family, and my own desires as a person to take what I so richly deserved. A fucking normal life.
Their shocked surprise was our advantage.
Chapter 23
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AN: So, what do you think? Having sex with vampires is dangerous business. ;o) I found the idea of a connection between wolf, vampire, and human to be rather interesting in the formation of what Bella is currently. Hope you did, too!
And yes, of course I had to save the epic fight for its own chapter. Haha Bella's ass-kicking of vamps deserves that! Oh, and just so you know, I decided. There are three more chapters of this story left! So, there you have it… let me know what you think. :o)
Author: exquisite_ugly
Rating/Warnings: M (language, future explicit sex)
Summary: Bella returns to Forks a few years after having married Edward and moving to Alaska. Mistakes and regrets, loneliness and grief, she severs ties and returns to those she truly loves to start over. What will she come home to? AU, A/D/R, M-language/sex
*~*~*
It's holding me, morphing me/And forcing me to strive/To be endlessly cold within/And dreaming I'm alive/'Cause I want it now, I want it now/Give me your heart and your soul/I'm not breaking down, I'm breaking out/Last chance to lose control
*~*~*
BPOV
My body didn't feel like my own. I could feel something coursing through my veins, a force that needed to be unleashed. It was scary, confusing, and strangely exhilarating. I knew because of Edward and his family that this wasn't exactly me turning into a vampire; there was no process where I went through intense suffering for days before I turned.
It hurt, my body had jack-knifed with the pain, but I was all too aware of my surroundings and it didn't take long. The pain in my mouth as the fangs grew was quick and biting; fangs so like Jacob when he was a wolf. It didn't make any sense to me. My body felt as if it were freezing and hardening, but my face felt strangely like it had elongated. I had the fangs of a wolf and the urge to protect others from vampires, so I knew this had to be different. There had been no legends about people randomly turning into werewolves.
It scared the hell out of me, but at the same time the power was a drug. For once in my life, in some way, I could understand how it was for Jacob to be a wolf and Edward to be a vampire. I looked down at my hands which were remarkably human and there was definitely no hair, so I wasn't actually a wolf.
When I sat up, my eyes met Jacob's. I could see so clearly and every little detail. The slight indent in Jacob's chin that I never noticed before, the shimmer in his glossy, black hair, and every line of muscle in his arm was noticeable. The rush of love was still there for which I was eternally grateful. I still loved and desired him; there was no disgust even with the vampire additions. I registered that everyone was there, shock evident in their features, but I couldn't take my eyes off the russet-skinned man in front of me, fear holding him frozen in place. A new thought occurred to me, and I felt a fissure of worry. I still loved Jake, but with what happened… did he still love me?
Tentatively, I reached up and stroked his face, tracing the edge of his lips. Surprised and pleased, he felt warm to me. Whatever I was, I could feel warmth, so I knew I wasn't a full-on vampire. He was staring at me, the look in his eyes conflicting. There was so much shock, so much confusion - everything I felt as well. When I pressed my palm to his chest, he winced, but I could see his love for me. Relief eased through me, but I frowned in confusion at the wince.
His hand touched mine, slowly easing the grip of my fingers, and I realized I was actually hurting him. The strength in my body wasn't imagined; it was really there.
"Bella?" A soft voice over my shoulder said. Annoyed at the interruption of my exploration of Jacob's face, I flicked a glance over toward Carlisle.
"How do you feel?" he asked.
I pondered that briefly and said, "Strong. Healthy. Powerful."
He knelt down close to me and asked, "Do you mind if I take a better look at you?"
I shrugged, not really caring. He hesitantly tilted my chin so he could get a better look at my teeth. When his eyes finished skimming over my face, he met my eyes. The look of shocked curiosity was still there.
"Bells?" Jake finally said. He had regained his voice and pressed his fingers to my chest, right over my heart. The realization that he wasn't sure if I was still alive or not made me feel sad, but my heart still beat. The relief on his face was palpable. "You're still you," he said, happy and even more confused.
"What happened to me?" I asked Carlisle. He was still staring at me, just as the other wolves and Cullen's were as well.
His mouth opened and closed unsure of what to say. "I… don't know," he admitted. "I've never heard of anything like this before. I have a feeling it has something to do with the combination of having the venom in your body and something to do with Jacob, though."
I pondered that and stood up and stared at Carlisle. I could see the idea slowly dawning on the faces of Jake and the others. "Does that mean what I think it means? The fact that I was with Edward and now with Jacob… the mix of the two created some kind of… hybrid?"
We were skirting the issue, but the idea was creepy. And kind of disgusting.
Jake looked a little sick to his stomach, so he felt the same way I did about it. Edward just looked frozen, not moving in the slightest. I reached out for Jake's hand, comforted by the warmth and the reassuring squeeze.
"That would be my best guess," Carlisle said.
"How on earth is this possible?" Alice murmured.
No one had an answer, but Leah had made her way over to me and began sniffing my leg. It was an odd thing for a friend to do, but this wasn't exactly a normal situation. She snuffled at my knee, my hand, and then bared her teeth at me and whined in confusion. I knew she was freaked out, but her eyes expressed her loyalty. She stood by my side as slowly the other wolves expressed their loyalty to Jake, their alpha, by coming to stand behind us as well.
I was scared, but my new transformation stopped me from being able to produce tears even as I felt the urge to cry. It was an unnerving and not very human thing; something I didn't like.
Carlisle sighed quietly. "The Volturi is coming, but we have a little time. Maybe one of your tribal elders will have an idea? We're going to convene at our old home for now with your permission." He looked to Jake questioningly.
Jake's expression wavered, and I looked up at him. "Do what you think is right," I assured him.
The tension around his eyes eased at my words. "I don't want you here," he said coldly. "We can take care of our own problems."
Edward bared his teeth slightly, the first movement he made since this happened to me, but he remained quiet.
"But in light of what happened to Bella, it might be beneficial to keep you around for now. You'll fight against the Volturi, but you will not come onto the reservation unless you're given the go-ahead. And if Bella or any one of my pack members suffers at the hands of them, or is killed, I will hold you personally responsible."
Rose and Emmett were bristling with concealed rage, but Alice and Jasper remained curiously unaffected. Esme looked upset, though Carlisle seemed to understand. He nodded at Jake, and I could see his edict warring with his gratitude to Carlisle for coming to my aid so readily when I needed.
After the Cullen's left, I turned to Jake. "Do you think Old Quil or your dad would be able to help?"
The pack had phased back to human form and began dressing discreetly. I could hear the swish of their shorts being pulled on, their soft breathing, and the snap of buttons snapping into place.
"I should have thought of him before," Jake said. "He's always had skills none of us ever had. Quil? Do you think your grandfather would be okay with this? I'd like to see if he has an idea."
Quil nodded, running a hand through his hair, looking at me worriedly. "Yeah, I'm sure he'll be willing to see if there's anything he can do. Why don't I go on ahead and ask him if he can meet you at your dad's place?"
He took off with the pack in tow, leaving me and Jake facing each other. Jake reached out and brushed the back of his hand across my cheek. "You still feel so soft and warm," he said quietly. "You feel like you."
I moved in close, wrapping my arms around his waist. He shifted slightly and I quickly relaxed my grip a little. "Sorry," I murmured. "I am me, mostly. I'm scared, Jake."
He tilted my chin up. "So am I. I don't know what this means, but maybe we can get some answers. Whatever it is, we're in this together, right?"
I kissed him then, feeling the warmth of his mouth move against mine, but not before I saw the uncertainty in his eyes.
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JPOV
Bella had asked if we could go through the forest to my dad's house, and I realized why as soon as we made it into the privacy of the towering trees. She was a blur, racing through the trees at breakneck speed. It was an unnerving sight, but even as a human, I had a decent amount of speed myself. She was still faster with the vampire ability, but I managed to keep track of her.
She came to a stop near the tree line and glanced back at me. Even through the fear of what this meant, what could happen, she currently had a smile on her face. "Sorry," she said sheepishly. "I really wanted to do that. It was fun."
I couldn't help laughing. She curled her fingers around mine and we went in to see if Billy and Old Quil would know what to do. I knew the pack was around, waiting to hear word, but kept their distance to give us privacy. Billy was seated at the table with Old Quil looking shell-shocked. When they caught sight of us, they scrutinized Bella carefully.
"What's happening to me?" Bella asked quietly, worry creeping back into her voice. "Carlisle Cullen had a theory, but we thought maybe the two of you could help."
Old Quil's weather-beaten face was somber and still as he motioned Bella forward. She stood next to him, casting a look back at me. He took her hand in his wrinkled one, frowning with concentration. Billy was still examining her and finally said, "This is unbelievable. I can see the differences however subtle they are. Your eyes…"
He trailed off, clearly worried about the similarity to vampires. "How do you feel?"
Bella bit her lip and murmured, "I feel normal except I feel strong and everything is much clearer and in greater detail. I can sense and feel things I hadn't before either."
"You have no desire to feed?" he asked curiously.
She cringed at the thought. "No, I don't. Thankfully."
Old Quil had his eyes closed as he concentrated. He mumbled a few indistinct words in Quileute, words even I didn't recognize, and laid a hand over Bella's lower abdomen. The silence in the room became thick as we waited anxiously. He frowned, mumbling, and shook his head.
Finally, he opened his eyes. "The Spirits aren't forthcoming about everything, but yes, there's a melding of vampire venom with the essence of a wolf inside you. It's unheard of for one of our wolf protectors to be enamored with a vampire, but this is the result; as if you're a vessel. What would happen if the natural enemies came together would be a hybrid."
Bella clenched her jaw. "Is it permanent?"
Old Quil was still touching her stomach. He concentrated again for a moment and finally said, "The ability you have to block vampires who have powers of the mind? It's almost like immunity; it kept you from being turned into a vampire due to the venom. The best I can tell is that the reaction of being with Jake while having this venom in you is what forced the wolf tendencies on you as well. Being around both the vampires and wolves at the same time is what finally triggered it."
"I don't think it's permanent, but time will tell," he continued. "It happened for a reason. Your ability shields you from phasing or turning, though, so whatever is the dominant part of you will come forth, which I would believe is human considering that's what you are."
A shaky sigh of relief escaped both of us when he said that.
After thanking Old Quil, we informed the pack of what he said and they agreed to meet in the clearing at sundown. There was no scent of bloodsuckers right now, so the reservation was safe, but we wouldn't take any chances. When we were alone, Bella leaned into me and sighed.
"He seemed pretty certain, right?" she asked me nervously.
I rubbed a hand up and down her back. "Yeah, he did. Old Quil has always been intuitive, honey. It's part of being a medicine man, a healer. I'm sure there's a reason for this and everything will work out in the end."
She sighed and said, "I hope so, though this whole discussion makes me queasy. The fact that my sex life keeps coming up as the main reason why this happened makes it really uncomfortable to talk about."
Even though it involved the fact that she had sex with that bloodsucker before, I couldn't help a small laugh. It was just insane, this whole thing, and there just wasn't anything else to do or say about it. "Yeah, like it isn't weird enough," I replied.
We walked on the beach, trying to pretend everything was normal, taking in the cold but sunny afternoon. The air was biting, though this time Bella didn't seem particularly bothered by it. The changes were unnerving. I wanted the old Bella back, the girl who was still occasionally clumsy. The girl who was strong just as she was without any added power and the girl who was all human and wanted a normal life with me. I knew she still wanted those things, but this was out of the realm of normal and we both knew it.
The wind was picking up and the threat of snow was in the leaden sky. We perched on our old driftwood log, just staring out to sea, trying to absorb everything that happened. Bella sighed and leaned her head against my shoulder. "Jake? Would you still love me and want to be with me if I stayed this way?"
Understanding her silence, I held her against me. "Oh, Bells, is that what you're worried about?"
"Partially," she admitted. "I know you're here with me now, but there's hope that I'll go back to being human after all is said and done. But in some ways, I'm like a vampire. There would be no children for sure. Can you live with that if something goes wrong and I stay this way?"
This was the closest I would ever get to a vampire. I wanted her to be back as she was, but this was Bella. No matter what, it was still her deep down, and I would always love her. Sticking through things together was what we'd learned over the months in getting back together, and I wasn't going to give up on that now.
"Yes," I said with utter certainty. "I want you no matter what you are and what you can do."
She opened her mouth to say something, but I kissed her. Her smile spreading against my mouth made me pull her closer, wrap my arms around her, and we both tumbled back off the log in a heap of arms and legs.
"Is this a good idea?" she whispered as I worked at her jeans. "I mean, this is partially what made me turn into a hybrid, but…"
"You're already a hybrid, so it doesn't matter," I said. "I'm just going to give you some more wolf."
That made her giggle and she wiggled out of her jeans. "That works for me."
It was amazing how fast she moved, the roll and tumble of our bodies as we reached frantically for each other. She was strong and she was showing it, taking what she wanted. I let her have the control for awhile before I began to show my own strength. She laughed breathlessly when I managed to pin her down and drive my point home - literally. Her laugh turned to a moan as her hips shot up to meet my downward thrusts.
Her nails raked my back and her legs had me in a vise-tight grip, but it didn't matter. I would take anything she dished out.
Afterward, she tugged her jeans back on and rested her chin on my chest, smiling up at me. "I love you, Jacob Black."
"I love you, too."
We headed back to the house soon after as twilight was drawing near. "I should go to Charlie's," she said. "Or maybe I should call him instead. I don't want him to see me like this."
"I think it's too late, Bells," I said. Charlie's cruiser was parked in the driveway and his voice could be heard from inside the house. Charlie came barreling out of the house and stopped short when he saw us. His eyes flashed to Bella, taking in her appearance. Bella didn't move except for the tightening of her hand around mine. I squeezed it back in support. He came over to Bella, hesitating, staring at her as if he'd never seen her before.
"Dad," she started to say, but he just shook his head.
"What happened to you?" he said thickly.
"We don't know exactly. You know about the venom inside me and it seems, um, the combination of me being with Jake…"
She swallowed with difficulty, not knowing how to say it, but Charlie seemed to know the gist of it. He was a little red in the face and Bella looked embarrassed. "It made me a sort of hybrid," she mumbled.
We stood there at a loss for words.
Finally, Charlie said, "Well, I knew I should have shot him when I had the chance. And I'm not so sure about you anymore, Jake."
I felt the crazy urge to laugh, but fought it. It wouldn't exactly help matters.
"It's not Jake's fault," Bella said. "This wouldn't happen normally. I'm an anomaly; no one ever thought a wolf or a vampire would ever come in contact like this. It just happened through me because of the vampire venom. Old Quil believes there's a reason for it, though, and he thinks I'll be human again."
Charlie hesitantly touched Bella's cheek, examining her features. "Okay," he said quietly, surprising me there wasn't any fight to him. "Billy explained some more to me, but if this vampire royalty comes here? I'm not going to stand by and have my daughter or you put your lives at risk while I hide," he said, directing that at me.
"Dad, you can't…" Bella said, worriedly.
"Charlie, it's not safe. We're designed to kill them and the Cullen's - no matter how we feel about them - made a pledge to destroy them if they threaten Bella," I told him.
"Can you honestly tell me that Bella would stay behind even if she wasn't… like this?"
I thought about that for a minute. "No, I guess not…"
"Well then. You know where Bella gets her stubbornness from." I sighed and Bella gave me a frustrated look.
"We'll keep you informed. If we can use you, we'll let you know. There will need to be safeguards put into place. We're the ones that are able to destroy them, but we'll need to burn them after."
Charlie was pacified enough to drop it, though I refused point-blank to let him anywhere near where any fight would go down. Before he left, he turned back to us and the sadness in his eyes was overwhelming.
"I just want my little girl back. And I want her safe."
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BPOV
The next couple days were difficult. The human part of me was trying to adjust to the changes. I still slept, but not as much as I had before. The urge to hunt and to run was pretty strong, though I felt no desire to eat anything but real, human food. It made it difficult to see anyone other than the pack because of my eye color and the fangs. There were slight physical changes, but I could at least hide my eyes behind sunglasses. I had to be careful about the way I moved because I was faster, more agile, and it wasn't entirely natural looking.
I went out to run with Leah while Jake spent some time with the pack and the tribal elders. He promised to fill me in on any new developments, but I was feeling antsy and trying to get used to this new energy and harness my strength. I'd already broken a few things in Sue's place. I'd called off work, asking to work from home due to family issues. I was grateful they allowed me to do this.
Leah was waiting for me near the tree line, her dark eyes watching me speculatively as I made my way over to her. She gave a low growl and then took off. I sped after her, feeling the wind rush through my hair, my leg muscles stretch and flex, and I was neck and neck with her. We just ran for awhile, occasionally racing each other until she finally slowed near the cliffs.
I stopped and waited until she phased back.
Pulling a t-shirt on over her head, completely unashamed at changing in front of me, she stared at me. "This is by far the weirdest fucking thing ever," she commented.
I couldn't have agreed more.
"It is," I said. "I admit the speed and strength is nice, but I'm really scared, Leah. I mean this isn't terrible so far, but all I wanted was a normal life. I left Alaska and Edward because I wanted a life with Jake. I wanted the whole package. And now I'm afraid of what this means."
She sat down near the edge of the cliffs, so I sat next to her. The storm clouds from earlier were moving out and glimpses of the fading sunlight were beginning to show as the day came to an end.
"Yeah, I know that feeling. I missed being a wolf actually. Who would've thought I'd end up back here? I still hope that once this is all over, my body can normalize again. Hopefully yours can, too."
I felt guilty. I had interrupted the pack and their normal, human lives because of the threat against me. They had school, work, and there was a baby on the way. Plus, I knew of Leah's struggle with fertility and that was a big thing for her.
"I'm sorry," I said quietly. "I know I'm screwing things up for everyone on some level."
She shook her head, flicking a rock over the edge. She knew exactly what I was referring to. "Bella, we all made the choice to phase back and protect you. Don't wimp out on me and start feeling sorry; you're a freaky hybrid. Act like one."
I laughed. "Thanks, Lee. If I can be a freaky hybrid that no one has ever heard of, I know that anything is possible."
She smiled a little. "Yeah, I haven't lost all hope, Swan. I know that's probably surprising for me, but I've come a long way. I'm still going to try just like you. And I'm going to enjoy trying."
We both cracked up and eased the tension.
It was that night that I got the phone call. Carlisle said they were close to our land, so Jake called Sam to spread the word and we agreed to meet them at a clearing in the woods on the border of the La Push reservation.
I called Charlie to warn him. I didn't want to do it, but I knew if he got wind of it without us telling him it would be a lot worse. I told him a couple of the younger pack members would be guarding him and he finally agreed to stay in the clearing and help burn the parts. It went against everything inside me to allow him to do this, but we had the wolves and the Cullen's to keep the worst at bay.
As we walked through the woods, Jake took me hand and tugged me to a stop. "Bells, whatever happens, don't be a hero. Do what you have to do to protect yourself. You're fast, you're strong, and they aren't going to be expecting what happened to you here. You have the element of surprise, but don't get cocky. I need you safe."
I wrapped my arms around his neck. "Jake, I'm not going to be rash, but if I can help someone who's having trouble I will. You're all important to me, you're all risking your lives, and you're all my family. I love you."
He kissed me fiercely. I reveled in his strength and the love that was so evident in everything he did. When we pulled apart, I saw the Cullen's move into the clearing. Edward's eyes were on me and I could see his frozen expression. It had felt like a lifetime ago that we thought we could never be apart.
But life had changed us irrevocably. My life was with Jacob, the Quileute's, and my life in Alaska was a thing of the past. It was time Edward needed to know that, once and for all.
"I can sense them; they're almost here," Carlisle said quietly.
"We fight and then you leave," Jake replied. "I think you understand that, though."
"I do," he said with a nod.
There was no sound announcing their arrival, but suddenly they were there. They stood in a united front; Aro, Caius, Marcus, Jane, Alec, and quite a few others. Their frozen faces were so identical, their fury palpable.
But what they didn't account for was me.
The surprise was evident as eyes widened and mouths dropped open. I stood before them; a human with vampire strength, the strength and speed of my wolf family, and my own desires as a person to take what I so richly deserved. A fucking normal life.
Their shocked surprise was our advantage.
Chapter 23
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AN: So, what do you think? Having sex with vampires is dangerous business. ;o) I found the idea of a connection between wolf, vampire, and human to be rather interesting in the formation of what Bella is currently. Hope you did, too!
And yes, of course I had to save the epic fight for its own chapter. Haha Bella's ass-kicking of vamps deserves that! Oh, and just so you know, I decided. There are three more chapters of this story left! So, there you have it… let me know what you think. :o)