BLOOD MOON » Embry Call

27. DESPAIR

   There was a nearly deafening crack as Isaak's hand found purchase on Embry's wolf form, and an even louder one when the Quileute crashed into a tree several feet away. He landed on the ground, motionless, when barking and several howls sounded all around Avery.

   The hunter herself stared, wide-eyed, unable to move in shock.

   But she soon found that it wasn't shock that was keeping her feet glued to the ground. The snarling and growling behind her didn't move either. When she turned her head, she could see all of the wolves stuck in place as well, struggling to move forward but they couldn't. Her eyes darted over to the three Cullens that had joined them, to see whether they were doing anything. Edward nodded toward Eleanor.

   Her eyes were narrowed tightly, face frozen in concentration as she seemed to be the one holding everyone in place.

   Avery looked back over at her brother and glanced past him, at Embry. His wolf form was still on the ground as he let out a pained whimper. If she could have fallen to her knees out of relief that her brother hadn't killed Embry too, she would have.

   "Where were we, before I was so rudely interrupted?"

   The hunter merely stared at her brother, silent.

   "Ava, let's face it," he spoke softly, taking a few more steps towards her. If he stretched out his arm now, he would be able to touch her cheek. "Your friends here are just as fragile as the ones before. Vampires are practically indestructible. Your sister is safe from harm now, as am I. And you can be as well."

   He crossed the last few feet in between them with two long strides. Avery felt his breath on her skin and she shuddered; the breath he did not need but feigned to appear more human.

   "I could snap every single wolf's neck within an instant, if I wanted to."

   One of his hands hovered in the air, inches away from her face, before he retracted it again.

   "But what monster would do that, right? I don't mean any of these … dogs," he almost spat the word out, "any harm. And you don't either, correct?"

   Her eyes momentarily glanced past Embry and she swallowed hard, nodding slowly. Isaak began to nod with her, his smile growing more genuine again.

   "No more people will get hurt. I promise you that."

   "Then why kill Melanie? Aaron? Drew?"

   He sighed. "I do admit, that was rather harsh of me, when at the time I thought it to be mere collateral damage. And believe me when I say, dear sister, how deeply I regret to have caused you such grief."

   "That's putting it lightly."

   "I can take all of that away, you know? All that pain. All those tears you've held back and all those screams that never left your mouth. I can make you forget about all of it. You can be happy. We can be a family."

   "A family ..."

   "Let me … show you something," he then said, raising his hand once more only to rest it gently against her cheek. The cold flashed through her so quickly, had she not yet been frozen in place, she would be now.

    With the cold, came darkness. It was dark at first, but then images flashed before her eyes.

   Her mother grinned at her widely and looked back down at a drawing of a house and family. The drawing was mere scribbles, yet she regarded the image with such genuine gratitude and happiness.

   Her father, holding a thick book as he sat next to their bunk bed, read fairy tales to them. Stories of knights and dragons, monsters and magic; and he told them with a spark in his eyes that showed he'd never stopped believing in magic.