The plane ride was only an hour and twenty minutes, but it felt like an eternity. It was long and boring, not to mention quiet. I had been excited to use the time to get caught up with Angela and Jacob, but it turned out Angela didn’t fly well. She produced an iPod from her pocket the second she sat down and didn’t open her eyes the whole time. Jacob, well, he was still silent and as unmovable as the mountain he resembled. During the car ride I hoped he would have apologized for his stupid comment so we could talk on the flight. Jake and I had been friends forever; we had plenty of childhood spats that we quickly apologized for, because we could never stay mad at each other. Did that change? I really wanted to know what had happened with his life when he left Forks. How was school? Did he have lots of friends? Did he meet a girl? None of that happened. At least he let up on the glare.
When we finally landed I heaved a sigh of relief. I was about ready to hurt the kid in the row behind us who wouldn’t shut up about his new video game, and I had a feeling if I heard the nasally voice of the flight attendant once more I was going to pull out my hair. Normally, I didn’t mind planes. I rode on enough of them when I was younger, but when you’re stuck between two men who seemed to be going through their “manstrual” cycle, you’d be grumpy too. I was envious of Angela, so oblivious to the world, despite looking a little green.
The airport was busy and bright as we waited for the luggage. I stared at the people passing with open curiosity. Sure, it might be near seventy degrees, but were shorts necessary? When was the last time I wore shorts? Oh, just before I left for Forks, and that was a long time ago. I couldn’t blame them for wanting to be comfortable; they probably thought I was the weirdo since I happened to be wearing a light jacket to cover my holster. Just because we were surrounded by sunlight didn’t mean I was going to let my guard down.
Vampires could be anywhere, and breaking the law is better than being dead.
“Hey Bella!” A deep voice yelled over the bustling energy. I turned to find a very familiar face approaching out of the crowd. Sam Uley, Charlie’s second in command, was perhaps one of the friendliest men I had ever met despite his imposing looks.
The first time I saw Sam, I thought he was a statue; not because he looked fake, but his looks were that unearthly. He was almost too pretty to be a man, but with that muscle there was no mistaking him as anything else. He was always big, he worked out frequently in his home gym, but recently it seemed his muscles were getting wider and wider. He had that beautiful chocolate skin all Quileute’s had, black eyes, and usually he kept his hair trimmed close to his head, but it looked shaggier than normal.
I smiled at the friendly face as he breached the crowd, wrapping me into a hug, lifting my feet off the ground. Sam had always been like the brother I never had, he was family since the first backyard barbeque. I found that what I couldn’t share with Jessica, I could tell him. He was only two years older than me but looked far into his twenties and had the mind of a forty year old; must’ve been from hanging around Charlie too much.
Sam set me on the floor and ruffled my hair. “It’s been a while since I saw you. Is it just me or did you get smaller?”
I glared up at him, straining my neck to make eye contact. “Maybe you should lay off the steroids.”
He laughed and went to hug Angela then greeted Jacob and Paul—who seemed a lot tenser than before—with that macho one-armed hug. It was then I noticed the three men kind of looked alike. Maybe it was the muscles or great genetics, but I had a feeling if I didn’t find a way to tell them apart quickly, I’d mix them up. Not a good thing in a crisis.
Sam led us out of the airport and we jammed into his SUV as he gave me a small update on his life. He got out of Forks with Charlie in the Bloodmobile without much incident, hitched a ride with other resistance straight for
I was squished between Jake and Paul in the middle row of seats during the short ride to Sam’s house. The SUV wasn’t small, it was a freakin’ huge
We pulled up in front of a blue house, Sam happily pronouncing it home, and I nearly kicked Jake through the door so I could get out and stretch my legs. The house looked beautiful from the outside, the color sky blue with white trim, a small flower bed planted underneath the palladian window, and one around the sapling growing in the front yard; they were all bright and in full bloom. It made me wonder how any flower could thrive in the heat. I only felt it for a matter of seconds and I already wanted to go back to rainy, cold Forks. How could anyone live in this heat?
And then I knew how. Upon entering the house I was greeted with a blast of thin, cold air. I sucked it in greedily, thankful for the power A/C, as I looked around. The inside of the house was bigger than I expected; it even had a second floor that overlooked the living room. Sam gave us a quick tour of the ground floor, all of it sparkling and immaculate, brilliantly decorated, before he was interrupted by a woman coming down the stairs with a laundry basket hitched on her hip. Was this Emily?
She and Sam shared a smile so loving, I felt like I was watching a private moment between them; when they kissed it was even more uncomfortable, and I couldn’t help noticing Angela with the same painful look on her face. This was no doubt Emily. She was definitely pretty enough for Sam.
Her skin was lighter than Sam’s, a smooth milk chocolate, with almond-shaped brown eyes surrounded by long black lashes; her hair was black and long enough to swish around her thin waist. While she kept the left side pushed behind her ear, the right side of her face was covered by the thick black waterfall so that it was impossible to catch a glimpse of her right eye. What was she hiding under there?
Sam and Emily broke away with a secretive smile, and she finally gave her guests her attention. “You told me you were bringing home friends, not police,” she joked lightly, elbowing Sam. She held out her free hand for a shake. “I’m Emily, Sam’s fiancée. It’s wonderful to meet you all.”
Fiancée? A small stab of panic rose in my throat but I squashed it down. Sam doesn’t need to get married. What is he thinking?
I took her frail hand and squeezed a little too hard she actually flinched. Oops. I was used to shaking men’s hands, where they sized you up based on how hard or loose it was; too loose and you weren’t a threat, they didn’t want to work with you. “I’m Bella, nice to meet you, too. How did you and Sam meet?”
She laughed as introductions were made; apparently she already knew Paul and Jacob, yet was excited to meet Angela. Finally, as she ushered us toward the spacious white living room, making sure we were comfortable on the sofa, she answered my question. “Believe it or not, he was a customer of mine. I’m a waitress at the local diner. I looked up from my notepad, found his eyes, and I swear it was like the world stopped. It really was love at first sight.”
Keeping this house on a waitress’ salary? Uh-uh, there’s no possible way. But I didn’t say anything, just smiled like I was supposed to.
“That’s so cute,” Angela sighed wistfully. “I know how you felt. Like you can’t believe that person actually exists, but he does, and he wants you as much as you want him.”
“Sounds like you’ve been bitten by the love bug.”
“Yeah. That is, I had been but it was a long time ago. My parents didn’t like him and we only saw each other at school. Gosh, it feels like it all happened so many years ago, but it’s been less than a year since the accident. Does that sound weird?”
“No, I know what you mean,” I said, touching her shoulder. The wound would probably never heal, but talking about it only made it worse. Angela didn’t need to cry anymore. “Well, not to change the subject like this, but can we talk business? I came here for weapons and a ride back to Forks, not refreshments and small talk.”
Sam chuckled. “Where’s the fire, Bella? You just got here. Relax, Forks isn’t going anywhere.”
I jumped up from the sofa. “Relax? Relax! I’ve done nothing but relax for weeks and I’m tired of it! If I don’t shoot something soon I’m going to go crazy.”
“It’s true, she will,” Jacob said cheerfully.
I turned on him, my stomach clenched so tight with anger I felt I would explode at any second. “You shut up. You have no right to tease me after what you said; by the way, I’m still waiting for that apology you owe me.”
“What apology?”
“For calling me weak, saying I can’t fight with ‘the guys’ because I’m a girl. I’m so sorry I don’t have your muscles, but I’m the one who actually deserves a spot on the front line—it’s my town! When was the last time you were in Forks, Jacob? You don’t even know what it’s like living there anymore!”
The glare was back. He gave me the full weight of his gaze but I didn’t flinch. “I never said you were weak; my god, you’re the strongest woman I know. I only said I wish you wouldn’t fight, but I should have known that part would go in one ear and right out the other. You have this strange idea in your head that you have to fight for Forks because obviously if you don’t, no one else will. You think that if you’re not out there, the vampires will continue to parade around the streets—don’t try to deny it. I know you, Bella. Do you even know how many people are fighting with you? You’re not the only one out there.”
“So worry for them, because I certainly don’t need it.”
He bolted off the sofa and had his meaty hands clamped on my shoulders before I could blink. I didn’t even see him move. It was like magic—one second on the couch, the next in my face. What just happened? He was shaking with his anger, I could tell he was resisting the urge to shake me, but his voice was tight and controlled.
“When did you get so stupid, Bella? You’re being stubborn, and honestly, I’m ready to punch some sense into you. Why is this war suddenly all about you?”
The knot in my stomach released with a violent lash and I tore out of Jacob’s grasp, yet it felt more like he let me go. “Because you don’t know what it’s like to lose everything! They took my friends, my freedom, they killed people dear to me—they burnt down my house, Jake. You want to know why I feel like it’s my responsibility to kill them all? All of this could have easily been prevented with the first signs, but no one lifted a finger. My grandpa got sick of it. He was the only one brave enough to take on the vampires; he started the first hunting parties to keep his town safe, and I won’t let him down.”
“So it’s a personal agenda? Everyone wants those leeches dead, Bella. You’re not the only one fighting, stop being an idiot.”
“Jake,” Sam’s cold voice cut through the heat in the room. He was warning Jacob about something, but of course he wasn’t listening. Why should he? Apparently he had the world figured out.
“An idiot?” I huffed. He was digging the hole deeper and deeper with every word. “You are the one being an idiot. You have no idea what’s going on; you keep bringing this back to me and that’s not what it’s about. God, Jake, you’re sixteen! You should be in school. What made you think you could tag along with us? Those vampires will kill you.”
“I can defend myself,” he growled, his body shaking so fast it was a fine vibration. “I’m here because Charlie asked me to look after you.”
Splash! I could literally feel cold water pour over my head. Suddenly my anger, this whole argument, seemed very petty. “What?” I asked with a small voice.
“Charlie was going to lock you up in
“So why would he let me go only if you tagged along?”
Jake hesitated, his eyes wide as he searched for an answer. What, because we’re arguing he can’t give me the truth? “He knows I can protect you.”
“What kind of excuse is that? Whatever it’s supposed to mean, it’s not good enough, Jake.” I shook my head. “Charlie trusts me; he knows I can look after myself. He didn’t raise a wimp. I’m a vampire slayer, I can take care of myself, and I want you to go home.”
“Why, so you can get yourself killed?” he yelled.
“So I don’t have to worry about your blood on my hands, too!” I screamed.
The room took a collective breath. There, I said it! I didn’t want Jake coming with me because I was scared for him. I couldn’t hold his hand and kill vampires at the same time, but I knew if I let go of him for one second in the field, he would die and it’d be my fault . . . just like Seth. I couldn’t live with that. I refused to have any more deaths on my hands that didn’t belong to my enemies.
Jake backed down, nearly crushing Angela as he plopped onto the couch. I stayed right where I was, my arms wrapped securely around my chest. How was it possible that I could face vampires without whimpering—not that I wasn’t scared, I was always a little afraid of fighting vampires—yet around my friends, I breakdown? It wasn’t fair. But I guess having a meltdown in front of your friends is better than on the field.
Sam squeezed Emily’s hand and stood from his spot on the loveseat; everyone heaved a sigh, relaxed, for whatever reason. He came to me, placing his hand lightly on my shoulder. I wanted to push him away, but this was Sam, not Jake. Sam had a better head. Because of his size, I kept projecting that Jake was older than he really was, and I could only wish he had the maturity to go with it.
“Don’t bother asking, please,” I said quietly. I knew if I spoke too loud my voice would shake. I hated fighting with any of my friends; these people were all I had left, I needed them. “I’m fine. I just need to cool off. It’s been . . . stressful the past few days.” Stressful didn’t even begin to describe how I felt, but it would do. I didn’t feel like going into detail about the problems that seemed to be piling up around me.
Sam removed his hand and glanced up a second before I heard the front door open. “Mike and Tyler are back,” he said; it was as if the squabble never took place. He smiled at me and moved to greet the guys.
I sighed with relief. Finally—people who wouldn’t argue with me, or call me weak and try to keep me out of anything. I couldn’t keep the smile from my face when Mike came around the corner. That jerk already had a tan.
He saw me first, but his eyes swept the room, taking in all the faces, before he unleashed the full power of his boyish grin and pulled me into his arms for a hug. I let him, because I really needed it. It felt like forever since I last saw him; I wanted to make sure he was real.
“Your eyes are red,” he whispered. “Were you crying?”
I shook my head. “No, just getting angry. What else?”
“That was my second guess. Bella Swan doesn’t cry over anything.” He winked and released me, heading into the room for quick introductions.
Tyler and I exchanged looks. His clearly said Glad you’re alive. Old news, but everyone had to express something about it. I couldn’t help but notice the strange lump near his hip. Did he seriously keep his gun there? It was almost the same as wearing a holster in the public eye!
Speaking of guns, I turned to Sam. “Are we heading out or not?”
“We can’t meet with him until tonight,” he answered, knowing my one track mind so well. “He runs a business and already warned us about hanging around during daylight hours.”
“When does he close?”
“
“No!” I groaned. I didn’t want to waste any time here. I was promised a quick pick up.
He shrugged, not at all apologetic. Sometimes I really hated him.
Always the eavesdropper, Mike asked me, “For your new weapons?” I nodded. “They are awesome! I snuck a peek at your stuff and I am truly jealous. You got a St—”
I ran and slapped a hand over his mouth. “Don’t spoil it! I want it to be a surprise, idiot.”
He licked my palm, garnering a stupid girlish eep from me. It seemed to make him happy . . . until I swiped my hand over his shirt. The room laughed with me and finally the cold knot inside, the huge ball of dread I carried inside, eased up and let me breathe.
Friends. Maybe they’re good for something.
“Angela, I don’t think it will fit,” I called through the door, nervously biting my lower lip.
“Come out and let me see,” she replied. “I’ll be the judge of that. I bet it looks great.”
“No, I’m going to take it off. I didn’t want to go in the first place.”
“Come on, Bella! Mike is worried for you and wants you to have some fun. You’re way too cynical for your age. You need to chill out, and a visit to a real beach is just what you need.”
Where have I heard that before? One so young shouldn’t be so cynical. I shook my head. No where. Nope, definitely never heard anything like that before.
I wanted to argue with Angela, No, a flamethrower and a ride is what I need, but I kept my mouth shut. Mike was only trying to help, so why did it feel like he was inflicting a wound, and why did it seem like Angela was rubbing salt into that wound? Maybe friends aren’t so nice to have. They make you do stupid stuff, such as wearing a two-piece swim suit that is two sizes too small. Angela was waif-like, around six foot-something, and I was not. I had meat on my bones, breasts, hips—and none of it looked right in her bikini.
Honestly, I didn’t even want to go to the beach. I didn’t care that we were in
Angela knocked on the door. “You have to come out sometime, Bella. I’m sure it’s not that bad.”
“It is that bad,” I grumbled, pulling the door open.
Her eyes went wide for a split second, then she laughed. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t realize you were so. . . .” She couldn’t find a word to explain how ridiculous I looked, just waved her hands in the air as if highlighting the worst of the problem.
“Shut up. It’s not funny.”
“Here, just wear the cover and you’ll be fine. You weren’t going to swim anyway, right?”
I snatched the white gauzy material from her hand and threw it over my head with a glare. Of course I wasn’t going to swim. I didn’t like doing anything where my gun couldn’t be with me and unless it was in a special case, my gun was not waterproof. Actually, guns hated water with a passion; the only thing mine hated more than water was a vampire.
Mike borrowed Sam’s
Apparently it was. If
“Aren’t you going to swim? I thought you always wanted to visit a real beach?” Mike asked.
“Nope,” I answered, producing my sunglasses and book from the bag. “I’ve got better things to do. I only came along because I don’t know Emily that well and Sam would grill me about my personal problems.”
Mike caught my hand and opened my bag so he could see inside. Of course he spotted the gun. “Bella, why did you bring that with you?” he said under his breath. “This is a public beach.”
“You know I don’t go anywhere without it. No reason to throw a hissy fit.”
He shook his head, released me, and sat back. “You are truly something else, Bella. Without a license, concealed carry is illegal around here—”
“And just about everywhere else,”
“Yet you go ahead and sneak a gun with you all over the place. I heard you even wore a coat when you first got here. Do you know how weird that looks to everyone else? How did you even get past airport security?”
“Rookies,” I scoffed. “So they roll their eyes and think I’m a tourist. Who cares? If I die by some means I can’t control, that’s fine with me, but if I have the chance to defend myself but don’t have my weapon? That’s not okay.”
He eyed the bikini babes walking past our spot, not in an interested manner, but speculative. He kept his voice low as he asked, “What’s going to attack you in broad daylight surrounded by this many people?”
For one second I wished something would’ve happened when he said that. I wished a vampire would come shooting out the water and grab him around the throat, just so I could prove a point. But then I regained my common sense and knew if something like that did happen, well, it’d be terrible. But he’d never again question my security.
“You never know,” I said simply, “and I like to be prepared. Now go have fun or something. Looks like you need a bit more sun if you want to keep that color.”
“We should probably go find Jared,”
I raised an eyebrow. “Jared?” I had first met him when I met Sam; they both lived on the rez, but they were quickly roped into the resistance. The last time I saw Jared was perhaps two days before the escape. He wasn’t as tall as Sam, but the death glares he could give made him just as scary.
“Yeah, we were here earlier with him. He fell asleep in the sand and I thought it was only kind that we bury him before a bunch of kids did. We left most of his head uncovered, but who knows, maybe someone kicked sand in his face, covered the rest of him up. He’s a heavy sleeper.” Mike grinned as he and Tyler stood, ready to search for poor Jared. I’d wondered where he was; usually he was glued to Sam’s side.
“Boys,” Angela muttered.
“Can’t blame ‘em,” I replied. “I would do the same thing.”
We shared a short laugh until she rolled onto her stomach. Hint taken. I turned my attention to the book in my lap; I wasn’t even sure what it was about, just grabbed the one that had the most interesting title. The story didn’t even seem that compelling from what I read on the back, something about witches and werewolves, but I had nothing else to do and I certainly wasn’t removing the bikini cover to go swimming. One, I didn’t want the attention, and two, Angela was getting enough looks from bleach-haired losers; I couldn’t help but glare at them as they passed. Not that they could see it behind my sunglasses, but whatever.
The sun seemed to be taking forever to set, maybe it was because I kept thinking about the time, but eventually I noticed bodies starting to clear out, the sunlight becoming less golden. We wouldn’t be here much longer, but the boys seemed to have disappeared. I glanced up from the book to find Angela asleep and the beach completely deserted. Gently, I shook Angela—no response. I shook her a little harder, calling her name, but she still didn’t budge. She was still breathing, her pulse was kicking just under her skin, so why wouldn’t she wake up? What was going on? I set my book down and grabbed my gun. If a crowded place emptied that quickly, it only meant one thing.
There was a vampire around.
I slowly stood from my chair and removed my sunglasses; they might block the sun but they also constricted my line of sight. No vamp behind me, none to the left or right. Could I leave Angela? No, of course not, but I couldn’t move her either. I bit my lip, finger rubbing over the trigger; the safety was on, it wouldn’t fire, but I was getting antsy. Where were the guys? Someone could grab Angela while the others kept an eye out—but oh wait, none of them had a gun! Gee, my logic doesn’t seem so silly now, does it, Mike?
A soft breeze ruffled my hair, drawing my attention towards the water. Someone was there. Someone I didn’t know. I hit the safety as I approached the unknown man, quickly looking behind me after every two steps, keeping an eye on Angela. It was times like these I really wish we had a challenge and countersign like the military; two assigned words your allies would recognize and respond with the correct word. It would keep us from shooting each other, and anyone who didn’t know the word got a bullet.
When we were an arms length away, he turned to face me, his short blond hair ruffling in the wind, and with a gasp I had my gun up and pointed. Blood red eyes. He grinned and my grip faltered, pointing towards the ground. What was going on? How was he here in the sunlight and not lit up? Why couldn’t I shoot him? My arms shook with need, but my finger wouldn’t pull the trigger. I couldn’t even bring my gun back up to his chest.
“Have you come to join your friends?” he asked, his voice a quiet caress against my skin.
I shook my head, shaking away the feeling. Tricks, that’s all it is. Don’t listen to him. But I had to ask, “What do you mean?”
He motioned beyond him at the water. My feet moved of their own accord, and I stared with horror at what once was the ocean. There was no water, just blood; blood of the bodies that were piled on top of one another stretching farther than I could see. I saw Mike, Paul, Tyler, and Jacob in the mess. A meaty slap made me jump and turn to see what I already knew fell into the pile. Angela’s corpse joined the massacre.
The vampire’s arms came around my neck in what I assumed he meant to be a comforting gesture, but my skin crawled with the contact. His nose skimmed my neck and kissed my cheek gently. “Your friends were so very sweet. Would you like a taste?”
My body was dead weight; I couldn’t move, and that meant I couldn’t fight. It was fucking scary. “Let me go.” I wasn’t sure I said anything. I couldn’t hear my voice over the pounding in my ears, but I felt his chest vibrating against my back; he was chuckling.
“And let this saccharine treat escape? Never. You smell so much sweeter than all your companions combined; it makes me wonder how you taste.” He moved my hair to one side, tilting my head for better access—and I let him. I felt sick, but I let him. I couldn’t move, could only stare out at the ocean of blood and bodies.
I whimpered and tensed when his lips pressed against my neck. He shushed me by stroking my hair. “It won’t hurt, darling. It never does. You’ll enjoy it, it’s a peaceful experience, and I promise, with your last breath you’ll smile.”
It shouldn’t end this way. It can’t. I wanted my gun, I wanted some backup, I wanted to stop looking at this gory scene and kill this bastard, but I couldn’t move! I could feel his cold breath against my skin, his teeth coming closer, and just before he bit me a giant red beast crawled out of the bodies, barely steady on its massive paws, charging straight toward us. It let out a terrifying roar. The vampire dropped me and literally disappeared. The beast wasn’t stopping. Its black eyes, as dark and endless as a black hole, were focused on me. I screamed and threw up my arms, my gun pointed and ready to shoot, but my arms shook so hard with my panic I couldn’t get a decent shot. Its massive jaws came at my face before I could pull the trigger.
“Bella!” Hands shook me. I fought against the darkness and came back to myself with a small scream. Jacob was closest to me, his face covered in worry, with Angela right behind him. “Are you okay? Angela said she couldn’t wake you.”
I took a gulp of the salty air, slowed my breathing, and shuddered at the sight of the water shimmering in the setting sun. It looked red. “I’m f-fine,” I breathed. “Just a little nightmare, that’s all. Too restless—must be the sunshine or air or . . . something.”
He grimaced but didn’t say anything else. “We should head back. Sam’s waiting on us.”
Normal conversation. I latched onto it like a plank of wood at sea. “How do you know?”
“He called, said we can get our stuff now.”
“Called? I don’t see a cell phone.”
“Mike has it.”
“We don’t carry cell phones. That idiot! It’s too dangerous.”
I jumped out of the chair to find Mike but Jake grabbed my arm. “You’re not in Forks, Bella, no one is monitoring you. Let it go.”
My mouth opened to tell him off, but I immediately slammed it shut. As much as I hated it, he was right. We weren’t in Forks; phones, computers, or letters weren’t going to hurt us at all here. It was like
“You’re right, Jake,” I admitted softly. “I’m sorry, I overreacted. I guess I’m not used to having this much control over my life anymore.”
He let me go, backed up and crossed his arms over his chest, averting his eyes. I caught the gleam in his eyes before he could hide it. He looked . . . vulnerable? “I’m sorry, too. I shouldn’t have said those things to you—”
“What things?” Just to make sure we were on the same page.
“For calling you weak and wishing you’d stay behind in the fight. I shouldn’t have said it; you’re perfectly capable of taking care of yourself. But I really do worry about you, Bells. And I can’t be sorry for that, but I apologize for everything else.”
I smiled and punched his arm. “Apology accepted. ‘Bout time you said something. Now where is everyone? I want to get out of here.”
While Jake went off to hunt down the rest of the gang, Angela and I stayed behind to pack things up. I did my best to keep my back to the water, the picture of all the gore too fresh and real in my mind, while I closed up the umbrellas and rolled up the towels. It was only a matter of seconds before everyone returned, including a very upset Jared. His face was red and blistered from the time he spent defenseless in the sun; it was visible even with his dark skin.
I tried to say hello but the glare on his face shut me up. I didn’t blame him. Whatever revenge he was planning, Mike deserved it.
We arrived back at Sam’s house while the last bit of sunlight faded away over the slender trees. I wasted no time once inside the house; I ran up the stairs, stripped out of the bikini—which, thankfully, no one even asked about—and into my clothes. My shoulder holster was secure, gun in its rightful place, and suddenly my jacket didn’t seem so ridiculous. With the night came the cold. It wasn’t
I waited impatiently for Jake, Paul, and Angela to take turns with the shower and change. By the time lazy Paul descended the stairs, I nearly bit off all my nails and tried to wear a hole into the living room floor from my pacing. We definitely had no more time to waste. We had to go. Go, go, go!
They were all too slow. I ran out the door and tugged on the
During the drive, I was concentrating very hard not to bounce in my seat. What did Charlie get for me? I hoped it was a HK416. Heckler & Koch put out some nice guns, and Charlie knew I liked nice guns, but he had to keep in mind we weren’t fighting against humans. We needed something strong enough to incapacitate a vampire or kill it. I needed something with that kind of strength, yet not so much recoil. When a gun kicks, it’s hard for me to hold onto it; I only have so much strength.
The store was located near a shopping center, so it was in a high traffic area. It was surprising because it wasn’t what I envisioned. It was a simple store front, the name of the store claiming Just Guns, and that’s exactly what I saw inside. It wasn’t a hobby store, it wasn’t a hunting store—it was just guns, and I loved it. I felt like I was home.
The store was surprisingly well lit and clean, not at all the shady spot I expected. I had conjured up the image of a bear-like man standing behind the counter, smoke wafting in the air, bikers standing around checking out the new standard issue assault rifle. It wasn’t like that by any means.
I took in the shelves and cases lined with guns, and upon seeing the shotgun display I nearly pressed my nose to the glass. No way! A Striker! I dreamed about that gun when Mike first introduced me through a bunch of pictures and statistics, but it was illegal for a civilian to own one. It was a “destructive device” and had no other reason for existing besides killing. How did he have one in the store? Was it for sale? Oh, in all my excitement I didn’t realize it was plastic; perhaps an airsoft gun. Did Charlie get a real one for me? Oh man, if he did, I owed him the best Father’s Day gift ever.
The guy behind the counter gave a welcoming smile but the sly glint in his eye said he knew he didn’t have normal customers. He was kind of lanky with well sculpted arms and tattoos showing thanks to his thin white tank top. The only hair he had was the thick Mohawk in the center of his head.
He came out from behind the counter, still with that smile on his face, and greeted Sam. “The Sam-man returns, I see,” he said casually. “Brought the rest of the gang; Isabella, Angela, but I don’t know those two.”
“Jacob and Paul,” Sam said, motioning to the two bigger men. “They’re going to fight with us. Everyone say hello to Embry.”
We all more or less gave a little wave. I was done with niceties and small talk—I wanted my guns.
“Well turn around; let me see ‘em. I don’t give handouts. You have to prove your cause,” Embry said with a leer.
Angela and I showed that elegant “V” on the back of our necks, branding us as cattle to vampires in
Embry clucked his tongue. “I can’t give you the equipment unless you have the tat.”
“Charlie gave them permission,” said Sam.
“Permission from The Chief himself? That’s cool with me. Chief and my family go way back; I come from Forks, according to my parents. Never been there myself; got out while Mom was still pregnant with me. Whatever. Come on back.”
I shared a look with Jake but he shook his head. Apparently now wasn’t the time for weird questions about ramblers. We followed Embry through the store, Jake dragging me forward when I stopped to stare at displays along the way. The backroom looked like every other storage room; cement floor and steel shelves, only this one had gun safes set along the back wall. Embry told us to wait at a long table that sat mysteriously in the middle of the room, while he disappeared among the shelves. They were stocked with gun cases. I glanced above me, expecting to see an anvil suspended over my head. It wasn’t there, of course. Guess my nerves just didn’t like wide open places anymore.
Embry returned with a number of slings over his shoulder and two cases to a hand. “Ladies first,” he said, placing the cases onto the table. “Now, I heard from Chief that Angela hasn’t really shot a gun until he showed her, what, a week ago? I’ve got you a good Smith & Wesson here.” He pulled a pistol from behind his back, popping the magazine to show it wasn’t loaded, before passing it to Angela. She accepted it with a nervous hand.
“Say hello to the 40VE. Shoots a more accurate and more powerful 10mm bullet; this puppy is stronger than 9mm with little to no kick. It won’t kill with a single shot, but your target’ll definitely feel it. They most likely won’t get up for a while. And this”—he whipped one of the slings around to reveal what I already knew was a Thompson—“is a Thompson submachine gun. It shoots .45, which is a pistol round, so it’s not very strong, but it’s manageable for you. Fully automatic; you’ll have fun with it. Take care of my Tommy.” He set the gun on the table and Angela lifted it with a small smile.
Embry pointed at me. “For you, I have something very special. You already have your little 9mm, which can’t be any good against vampires, so I’m offering you something better.”
I touched the worn leather of the holster. “If it’s a different pistol you can keep it.”
He smirked. “Oh no, girlie, I’ve got something that will make that pistol seem like a bad idea.” He popped a case open and pulled out my dream gun—not a Striker, that’s my wet dream gun. “The FAMAS assault rifle—”
“Shoots NATO bullets, which are only a little smaller than
The surprise was clear on his face. It took him a second to clear his throat and ask, “Are you flirting with me?”
“Excuse me?”
“Shit, that was the hottest thing I’ve ever seen. Never knew a girl who knows her guns. Since you already know what you’re dealing with, how about we move onto the next item?”
He passed the FAMAS off to me, and I eagerly accepted it. It had a good heft to it that was just perfect in my hands. I gazed down the sight; red dot, very nice. It would prove for an accurate weapon. Embry pulled another case close and glanced up at me.
“This is your close combat weapon; a shotgun. Do you know what you’re getting? Because I’m not sure I’ll survive another onslaught of your sexy intelligence.”
I chuckled and said, “Just open the case.”
He lifted the lid. I gasped and nearly squealed with what I saw. A beautiful black Striker lay nuzzled in the foam. “This is perhaps the greatest automatic shotgun in existence,” Embry said. “Do you know what you’re looking at?”
“A Striker,” I breathed. “12-gauge, because of the special drum that holds 12 shots, it has more bulk and slower reload time, but it can take your head clean off with a single shot.”
He made a pained noise, or maybe it was a growl. “Seriously, are you trying to get into my pants?” He gave me the gun, and I snatched it from his hands, stroking the paint job lovingly. I wanted to coo at it and give it a name, maybe push it around in a stroller, but that would be a little much. Still, I never thought I’d hold one of these. “By the way, Chief made a special order for you.” Metal sang in the large room. Embry pulled a sword from his back, and I tried to be interested, I really did, but nothing could hold my attention after the Striker.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Twenty-two inches of full tang, high carbon steel goodness, that’s what. This short sword should be the perfect length to keep your enemies at bay while still being useful. Its sheath sits along your spine and its short enough that you can sit down. However, if you want to wear it and be comfortable, you need this.” He produced a wad of straps and I knew instantly it was a rig. “Nylon and suede, ambidextrous pull, you can adjust it however you want and don’t even need to remove your coat. It has a built-in sheath for your sword and carries two extra pistol magazines.”
“And I have to take it?”
“Chief’s orders, missy. Don’t want to disappoint your dad, do you?”
I reluctantly set the Striker on the table and picked up the shoulder rig. It looked a little more complicated than my leather one, but that might be due to the sheath. Sam took my jacket so I could switch. I slid out of my rig and into the new one while Embry went to fetch the other guns. I thought it might be awkward but the nylon fit comfortably, the suede accents adding comfort to my shoulders.
I grabbed the short sword and stepped away from the group to swing it a few times. Mike let me play with his beautiful falchion sword a few times; it was longer and heavier than what I held, but I had him to thank for what little knowledge I had about swords. This one had nice balance, good weight; it was barely longer than my arm but it would be fine for beheadings. I tried sheathing it, moving my hair aside to slide it down my spine, but missed. It took me two tries to get it settled. Yeah, that would take some getting used to.
Embry returned with more cases and slings. One of the cases I was immensely curious about; it was huge, and a lot might fit into it, but I didn’t know of any gun being that big. He produced two magnums, Smith & Wesson—Charlie’s favorite brand. Jacob got the amazing, sleek .500 magnum, while Paul received a .357 magnum. Paul got lucky with an AK-107—“Don’t forget the attached grenade launcher,” Embry said proudly—but Jake was the real winner with an MP7 and the unreleased AA-12 shotgun. The military was still going through prototypes on that weapon.
“Where did you get this thing? It isn’t even available to the army,” I said.
Embry grinned mysteriously. “I know a guy, and at certain times it pays to be ex-military. Isn’t it beautiful?” He stroked the gun in Jacob’s hands. “I’ve included the special 22-shot drum attachment with high explosive ammo. This thing will blow up any target. Oh, I should probably mention that since you’re not warring against humans, all the ammunition you’ll be shooting is armor-piercing rounds in that gun’s caliber. Very, very dangerous, so be careful where you’re aiming. If you shoot a human anywhere, even in the foot, he’s pretty much dead, blow the whole foot off, but it’ll leave a nice hole in a vampire.”
“Shit. You’re giving us weapons of mass destruction here!” Paul said.
“Bad shot? It’s okay, you’ll get better with time. Besides, these are insults to mass destruction. I haven’t gotten to the best part.” Embry pulled a magazine from his pocket. “Incendiary ammo. Any ideas, class?”
“Are you serious? Incendiary ammo would make vampires explode!” I gasped.
“Maybe, maybe not, but if you get a hit it’s sure to light them up.” He laughed. “But I have to warn you, you only have one magazine of this stuff for each of your guns. This stuff costs a lot of money.”
I grimaced. “I thought you knew a guy.”
“Who demands money. If you have the fifty-thousand on you, I’ll get you another magazine, but if not. . . .” He shrugged.
Fifty thousand dollars? Ugh, nothing was ever cheap.
Since the handouts were finished, Embry gave each of us the slings for our weapons and produced four small duffel bags. He said they were filled with extra ammo and made sure we got the right bags; try loading a FAMAS with AK-107 bullets, yeah, wouldn’t work. Embry also handed us hunting knives, seven inches long, just for extra protection.
We situated our guns—my pistol sat under my right arm like always, the FAMAS fit nicely with the new holster while the Striker hung on its sling near my hip; Jacob had his magnum in its holster strapped around his thigh with his AA-12 slung across his back and MP7 in its own holster; Paul kept a hold of his AK-107 but his magnum was clipped to his belt, and Angela had her own shoulder holster for her 40VE yet the Tommy swinging from her back seemed to make her uncomfortable—before Embry declared we were moving onto strategy talk. About time.
Sam put on his lieutenant face, his eyes no longer open and warm, but cold and calculating, and his voice had the edge of “You don’t argue with me” that made everyone listen closely.
“We all know the objective of what’s to come. We’re taking Forks and
“We have a truck rigged with C-4 that will take fourteen hours to drive to Forks; it’s disguised as a delivery, so we’ll park it in front of
“Wouldn’t the C-4 blow the whole thing up?” Jake asked.
“I wish. They have their nest in the basement, reinforced, with multiple exits.”
“Do we know where those exits are?”
“That’s what the snipers are for.” That’d be a yes.
“You’re taking some of my men,” Embry supplied. “Skilled professionals with a .50 caliber; it’ll make a lot of noise, but it will catch any stragglers.”
“We’ll clear for the explosion, and before the dust can settle we’ll enter the rubble carefully—flamethrowers go first.”
“Flamethrowers?” Angela asked, surprised.
“Make sure you stay behind the men with the tanks on their backs,” was Sam’s answer. Best piece of advice I ever heard. “In the basement, we have to watch out for tunnels, and be careful of the hidden exits. They can hide in the shadows. We’ll clear out the basement and move on to the families that we know are protected by vampires. Let me make it clear, we are not killing humans, only vampires. Our best guess is that once the vampire who has them in thrall is dead, they’ll be free. If they’re back to normal, at least those vampires will be dead. We’ve predicted that the smart vamps will run for
If that was true, then I knew exactly who Mike would run to first.
“How is everyone getting into Forks?” I asked.
“We can fit ten in the truck, if you’re comfortable sitting next to explosives; we already have them packed as satchel charges, they won’t go off easily. Everyone else will be dropped in by air at a specific location.”
“I’ll take my chances with the explosives,” I answered immediately. I wasn’t afraid of planes or heights, but jumping out of a plane and having little to no control where I’d land? No thank you.
“Same here,” Angela said nervously.
“Alright. You’ll be following me on the field, then. Embry?” Sam turned to the smaller man. “Are you prepared to lead the air drops?”
He shrugged. “Jumping out a plane is easy compared to killing vampires. I was in the Marines; I’ve got it under control.”
“I trust you to keep those people alive.”
Embry gave a salute, but I had a feeling he was mocking Sam.
“Everyone else knows what to expect, so I guess we’re done here. It’s time to move out.”
Now? I swallowed thickly and reached up to touch the comforting leather of my holster, but was met with a rougher material. Duh, I switched my holster.
This was what I’d wanted, what I waited for, but now that we were really going back to Forks I was a little nervous. We were going into battle. Who would come out alive? Would I lose Jake, Angela? Oh God, someone had to watch after Angela; she barely knew how to shoot, and with a fully automatic gun in her hands, she might just kill us all. Paul I didn’t have to worry about. I didn’t know him very well, but he seemed like the hardened warrior type. What about Jake? He just received a .500 magnum, and I wasn’t sure he knew how much power that thing had to it. He had to survive. We all had to survive.
The time had come. It was time to finally take back our town from the vampires clutches.
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