My ears are ringing, there's sweat dripping down my face, and you can hear the clanging of swords all around. "Ready to give up?" Percy asks.
"Never," I tell him. I pick my sword up and we start attacking each other again.
"Nat!" I hear Leo call.
"Not now, Leo!" I call back to him, keeping my eyes trained on Percy who has that cocky smirk on his face.
"Someone's calling you, I don't recognize the number. Their name is motherfucker?" My eyes widened. You've got to be kidding me. Will and I just got back a couple weeks ago and they're already calling for our help again? I'm distracted long enough for Percy to knock my sword out of my hand and pin me to the ground.
"Ha, I win!" He celebrates. I shove him off of me and walk towards Leo. "What in the Hades?"
"Did they leave a message?" I ask him. He nods.
"It's gone off three times with the same person and they've left one message. It only said to call him back as soon as possible because it was urgent," Leo explains, handing me my phone.
"What's going on?" Percy asks, running over.
"I don't know yet," I tell him. I scroll through my contacts and press on Leah's number. It rings a few times before she picks up. "Leah, what's going on?"
I can hear her sigh over the phone, 'I can't tell you over the phone, but I can tell you it's bad.'
'How bad?" I ask her, irritated.
'There's a battle coming with the Volturi and the Cullens are gathering witnesses,' she explains.
'Why?'
'I told you, I can't tell you over the phone, I'm sorry,' she apologizes. We can hear yelling in the distance and we all turn over to see a camper running towards us frantically.
'I have to go, thank you for telling me.' I hang up the phone and all three of us turn to the camper.
"There's vampires at the border," Katie tells us. "They said that they need to talk to someone."
"Show us," Percy says and she takes off towards the border. There's two vampires there. Jasper and Alice. "What do you want?" He asks them, pointing his sword in their direction.
"We wish to speak with someone, Natalia. Natalia Di Angelo," Alice says, confirming my suspicions.
"What do you need?" I ask her, stepping into their view.
"We need your help and I know you might not have come if I hadn't come here," Alice says.
"How did you find us?" I asked her, I didn't want them to know where the camp was, but now they do. "You know you can't tell the rest of your family where this place is."
Alice nods, "please we just need you to help, if you go to the house, they'll explain everything. And I found you through a vision. It showed me where you would be," she explains.
"I will go and see if I can help, I don't think I'll be of use though," I tell her. Or I just won't care and go home before the fight. It doesn't involve me and I'm done with these stupid vampires.
"Well we'll be leaving now, we've got witnesses to find," She smiles at me, going back to Jasper's side before they run off.
"Wait, so she can see the future, you're going to help fight the vampire government, and I've still never met these vampires?" Percy asks.
"Umm, yes?" I am confused.
"That's not fair," he wines. "Come on, take me with you. It's Christmas break, there's no quest or prophecy, which I'm very thankful for, but you're going to go hangout with vampires. I'll be good I promise," he says, giving me puppy dog eyes.
I sigh and roll my eyes, "Are you sure Christmas was only a few days ago?" He nods, "Get your mother and Annabeth's permission, then maybe I'll think about it," I tell him.
"Pfft, I don't need their permission," he says, rolling his eyes. Both Leo and I gave him a look. "Oh shut up Leo, people require you to tell them what you're going to do before you do it to make sure you don't burn down camp."
"Yeah, but if I burn it down accidentally you can put it out with water, you however flood the camp and it takes weeks to dry the cabins out," Leo points out.
"Okay, boys enough. I'm already pissed that I can't kill these vampires and they keep asking for my help so can we just get going?" I ask, Percy grins and runs off to go talk to Annabeth.
"I can't believe you have to go back to them, it's only been a few weeks," Leo wines, giving me a hug.
"I know, I'm upset too. Especially since Nico is doing something for our dad right now. Will you and Annabeth update Chiron for me?" Leo nods into my neck.
"I don't want to let you go."
"I know," I smile and kiss his head. "But I'll be back soon."
"No new scars," he tells me, pulling away. "Not that you don't look badass, but I don't really like the idea of you getting hurt, no matter how hot it makes you look," he winks.
"I'll try the no new scars thing, but I don't know how much I can promise that," I tell him. "Now, I have to go pack at least one change of clothes, last time I was there for almost a week with no clothes and I refuse to wear something a vampire's already worn." I kiss him goodbye and head to my cabin.
I stuff two pairs of clothes in there and my weapons. I also put some ambrosia and nectar because you never know. I hear a knock on the door and go to open it.
"Hi!" Percy says excitedly. "Wise girl says I can go as long as I check in with her and I'm careful and don't try to kill the vampires on sight," I laugh at him.
"Yeah, I wish I could do that so badly," I tell him with a faraway look, dreaming of what I could do to them. I shake myself out of it, "Did you pack? We'll most likely be gone for 2-3 days," I tell him.
"Wisegirl packed for me," he explains. This kid is such a simp. How did my brother and I ever have a crush on him?
"Alright, let's go, I've already said goodbye to Leo," I tell him. I pick my bag up and sling it across my back. "Warning, it's a long distance so I might pass out." I grab his arm and let the shadow take us where we need to go.
I opened my eyes and was in the woods near the Cullens' house. I get a little dizzy, but use Percy to steady myself. "You good?" He asks and I nod. It wasn't as bad as the last couple times I had to do this, but I still felt exhausted.
"Let's go, their house isn't far," I tell him, keeping our hands together. If I let go of him who knows what he will go and do on his own. He might be smart and know what he's doing, but if he gets distracted by something he'll wander off and I'll lose him. We finally came to their house, "This is it."
"Wow, nice house," Percy compliments.
"Thank you," Carlisle says, scaring Percy. He jumps back and uncaps his pen, pointing it at the vampire. "My wife designed it, I apologize for scaring you."
He awkwardly puts his sword away, "Hi, I'm Percy Jackson," he greets, shaking his hand. "My girlfriend loves designing stuff, too."
"Percy, this is Carlisle," I introduce. "He's the doctor of the family. Now that we're done with that, can you tell me why I'm here?" I ask him, crossing my arms. "All I've heard is that something happened with the Voltui and now you're all in danger."
"Irina, our cousin from Alaska saw Renesmee and thought she was an immortal child, a child changed into a vampire, which is forbidden within our kind and she told Aro. We just need witnesses to help explain and we figured that you would be an amazing witness to have for something like this," he explains.
"You would be correct, but I don't know if I'm sure I want to advocate for her," I tell him. He looks shocked, "She's just a child, but what if one day she becomes out of control. We don't have a hundred percent guarantee that she won't become rebellious as a teen or child and kill anything within a 500 mile radius. Might as well kill her as a baby."
"A little too late for that," Carlisle says. "Her growth rate is exponential, unlike anything I've ever seen. She is already the size of a 7 year old," he explains. "Why don't you two come meet her?" He says. He leads us inside where I pause.
There's about 20 vampires in here and the place reeks of death. I look around and see a lot of red eyes and it makes me uneasy. I wish I could put all of them down right now. "I hate all of you," I whisper, mostly to the Cullens.
Bella comes up with Edward behind her, "Thank you for saving me, Natalia. I wouldn't have been able to meet my daughter without you and your friend," she thanks, giving me a surprising hug. I slightly hug back, mostly to get her to stop. She turns back around and Jacob comes over with a little girl in his arms.
"Wow Jake, when I said I want you to fall in love with someone else, I didn't mean a child," I tease. He rolls his eyes and lets who I assume is Renesmee on the ground I crouch down. She reaches her hand to my face and I back away.
"Don't be afraid, this is how she communicates," Bella tells me. Renesmee reaches her hand back to my face and shows me an image of myself and Will covered in blood, smiling at something. She then shows me a picture of myself doing CPR on Bella.
"What was that?" I ask her parents.
"She showed you the first memories she has of you," Edward explains. "She likes you and the blonde haired kid, you two were the first people to hold her," Edward smiles.
"Does she remember her birth?" I ask them and they nod. Percy and I look at each other concerned. "I don't know what I can do to help you guys against the Volturi. Even if they chose not to kill her, both of us will have our sources watching her until she's fully grown."
"Wait, you're going to be watching our daughter?" Bella asks me.
"I have been since her birth. They were told the moment she started showing signs of being uncontrollable I was to be called and I would handle her," I explain. I don't want to kill a child, but I'm prepared to.
"You would kill my daughter?" She asks.
"If I was asked to by my father," I confirm. She walks away with Renesmee, Edward, and Jacob. Percy and I sit somewhat awkwardly in the living room, surrounded by vampires we've never met. I already gave Percy the introduction to the people that I do know and he and Seth seem to get along great even though Seth is a few years younger.
Apparently, not too long after Percy and I showed up, two vampires from Romania with a vengeance against the Volturi did too.
"When Aro wants someone from a Coven it's never long before evidence proving that coven committed some crime," Elearzar explains.
"So he's done this before?" Bella asks him.
"It happens so rarely, I never realized it was a pattern," he answers.
"Apparently he always pardons one person. Who thoughts, he claims, are repentant," Carlisle adds on.
"This person always has an ability. And they're always given a place with the Guard."
"This is all about Alice," Edward realizes. "He has no one like her."
"Which is why she left," Bella concludes.
"Why does he need witnesses?" Emmett asks, confused.
"To spread the word that justice has been served," a vampire I do not know the name of says. "After he slaughters an entire coven." Well those are lovely thoughts. I think I like him, he's pretty morbid. Two of the vampires start to leave.
"Begamin, Tia, we're leaving," he calls.
"And where will you go?" Edward asks him. "What makes you think they'll be satisfied with Alice? What's to stop them from going after Benjamin next? Or Zafrina or Kat or anyone else with a gift. Anyone they want." We can't let this go on, but if Percy and I fight against them we could start a war between demi-gods and vampires. "Their goal isn't punishment, it's power. It's acquisition. Carlisle might not ask you to fight, but I will. For the sake of my family. But also for yours. And for the way you want to live." Everyone's silent for a while, not moving or saying a word.
Jacob stands up, "The packs will fight," he announces. "We've never been afraid of vampires." Also because your imprint is the one being targeted.
"We will fight," The delenies announce.
"This won't be the first time I fought a king's rule," another one steps forward. One by one all of them say they'll fight.
It comes to the point where the only people not standing are Percy and I. Everyone looks over at us and Percy nudges me, "This is your call," he whispers.
"We don't need you to fight," Edward says. "You are the one person who doesn't need to fight, we just need you to be there."
"That's the thing I don't even know if we can. If this gets taken this could cause a fight with our people," I tell him.
"The gods?" Eleazar asks. I look at him with a blank stare. "I've had the fortune of meeting a couple demi-gods in my lifetime. They are some of the most powerful beings I have ever met. They are the gods' champions."
"Yes, while it might not be as hard a fight for us as others, we never want war. If this is something I can avoid I will. They need to be put in check and I will do it, with or without this battle. If I need to, I will get my father involved. For now, it's a maybe, but we will still be here and I will decide then if we'll fight." Edward nods at me in acceptance of my answer. He knows there's nothing he can really do to change my mind.
"Let's hope it doesn't come to a fight," Edward says.