Blood Is Thicker Than Water // Lahote - [EDITED]

Part 28 - [EDITED]

A/N: Lots of Vine references in this chapter because I was feeling nostalgic :')

Trigger warnings: Death, violence, blood, gore

Mia was sitting down on the stairs of Emily's house. Bella was sitting next to her, holding her hand. Neither of the sisters were talking. Emily had gone inside.

Quil had gone to get Jake, Leah, and Seth. Leah and Seth were having dinner with their mom and Charlie. Even in this situation, Mia hoped the guys found enough of a lie so that her dad didn't get suspicious.

The rest of the guys were still standing, talking. Mia wasn't hearing them. There was a buzzing in her ears. Her eyes were fixated on the point where the stairs met the muddy ground. She wasn't able to look elsewhere.

The only things she had the sensation of: her sister holding her hand, who was a statue just like she was, and her heart beating as if pleading with her to run as fast as she could.

She couldn't process it, what her sister said. The vampires were after her now? For seeing them with Bella? These guys were hunting werewolves for years, centuries, a millennia. They were in power for that long.

Mia couldn't fathom that.

How was she supposed to protect herself against these things that were in power for a millennia? How was her sister, how was her sister's family? How was the pack supposed to protect themselves?

Sam's words from the other day rang inside her mind again. How stupid was she that she thought they could take them, as if they were like the other vampires they took care of. Sam was right, they would die. They'd be lucky if any of them walked away from that thing.

And stupidly she was trying to push for that.

Turns out, she didn't even need to do that, it found her. Directly. They had her picture, knew where she lived, somewhat knew what she was. And now, all of them were in danger.

Mia flinched when she felt something on her neck. With the little jump, she let go of Bella's hand. Paul was kneeling in front of her, one of his hands on her knees, the other on her neck. He had a worried face. "You didn't hear us,"

Mia realized Bella looking at her, tears in her eyes, and Emily crouched down next to her, holding a glass of water. "Drink," she said quietly. She gulped, taking the glass from her hands and bringing it to her lips.

The three were watching her. She realized her hand was trembling. Emily bit her lip. "Do you want me to make you some tea?" 

Mia gulped and shook her head. The thought of consuming any kind of food or drink made her want to throw up.

Emily walked away with a sigh. Mia dragged her eyes to meet Paul's. "We should have never left your bed," she said, the words burning her throat. Even speaking made that feeling in her stomach rise up.

Paul slowly brought his hand over hers. "I will not let any of them touch you," he said sternly. She wanted to believe him, she did. But it didn't even feel like that.

"Hey," he said, "Do you remember my promise?" She nodded. The promise he made on the beach, oh god, if they could just go back to then and freeze time. "I intend to keep it," he continued.

Four pairs of hurried footsteps reached their ears. Paul turned back to see. It was Quil, Jake, Leah, and Seth. 

"I'll be right back," he gulped and kissed her forehead. He then walked away toward where the other guys were.

"Do you want to go inside?" Bella asked softly. Mia turned to her sister and nodded. They got up together. Mia heard Sam explaining what was happening to Jake and the Clearwaters.