Charlie Swan: Vampire Hunter

44

Charlie

Carlisle crashes on top of me and I hit the ground with smack. Before I can even lift my hand all the way to where my head hit the floor Carlisle is off me and whirling on the wolves that have made their way into the kitchen and are circling us. I've seen Carlisle in the heat of battle, but never like this. There was always an air of restraint around him and that's vanished and been replaced with the brutal focus of a killer. Not that I like to think of my boyfriend as being a killer, but I don't know how else to describe it. The man I know and love is gone, and I can only hope he comes back to me. In the meantime, we need to figure out why the wolves are attacking us and how to get them to stop.

The biggest wolf, directly in front of Carlisle, snarls and he snarls right back. I scramble back onto my feet and grab for my sword and the wolf and Carlisle launch into a blur of fangs and fists. I feel more than see two wolves closing in on me and fumble to light the sword, so I (maybe) stand a chance. I'm breathing hard, and I can smell the tang of the wolves' breath when the flames finally race up the length of the sword. I swing around to face the wolves, turning my back to Carlisle and the door. I swing the sword and it connects with the nose of the smaller black wolf with a sickening crunch. I barely have time to yank my sword free before the second wolf is leaping for me. I manage to get the sword between us in time to not get impaled by his claws, but its closer than I'd like. The first wolf is still on the ground whimpering, and I feel a pang of remorse for whatever I did to him. That is before he shifts back and it's Jacob. I immediately feel less remorse considering who was involved in Bella's death. Behind me I hear Carlisle panting and the spare a glance over my shoulder to check on him. He's still fighting the big wolf, but the wolf seems to be flagging some. There's blood splattered around the kitchen from wounds on both. For a second, I lament the cleanliness of my kitchen, then I turn back to the wolf actively attacking me. Instead of finding the wolf being on top of me like I expected I find it dragging the still unconscious Jacob towards the door. I let them go. As much as I disklike the boy I don't wish him dead, especially at my hand. I also don't need to fight the wolf if I don't have to.

With that I turn back to Carlisle and move so I'm in between him and the largest wolf. "Stop!" I yell, my back to Carlisle arms out. Both he and the wolf snarl at me.

"Get out of the way, Charlie." Carlisle says, warning lacing his tone.

I don't take my eyes off the wolf in front of me. "Why are you doing this?" I ask. "We've done nothing to you since we got back, and as far I know even before that."

The wolf growls deep in its throat, but finally shifts. The man who stands before us is tall and heavily muscled. His long black hair flows past his shoulders and his face is filled with hate and fury. He doesn't take his eyes off Carlisle when he speaks. "We told you to leave and promised death if you didn't. We are only fulfilling that promise."

Carlisle looks murderous, but I step in before he can say something that sets them off again. "What do you mean you told us to leave? Carlisle and I have been gone for months, we just got back."

The golden eyes set in the tan; weather worn face finally shift to look at me. "I have nothing against you, human, but they-" He says giving Carlisle a meaningful glance. "The vamps have to go. We told the other ones who were here assuming the word would spread. And now here you are, having waltzed right back into my territory with no regard to what we've said."

Carlisle is silent at my back, and when I glance back at him his face has shuttered closed and I can see a mask of calm coming over his features. I've never seen that before; it might be wise to get us out of this conflict asap I decide.

"As I said, we didn't know about that." I say, turning back to who I assume is the alpha of the pack. "Now that we do, we'll leave."

His mouth curls into a wicked smile. "Oh, I don't think you will though." He says menacingly. "You may claim not to have known, but I don't trust his ilk. I gave them one chance and here you are, chance gone. Now you pay."

Before I could open my mouth to retort he had shifted back and was charging toward us. Carlisle literally jumped over me to meet his charge and I stared slack jawed as their fight began anew.

Carlisle

A calm descends over me as I fight and it's one I haven't felt in over 100 years. I've been in battles and even wars since then, but not a battle like this. Not one where I must protect someone I love and certainly not one where I actually might lose. I match the wolf strike for strike. It's an interesting challenge trying to fight an animal and not get ripped to shreds, but I've started to get the hang of it. I let my canines show through my lips and smirk a little as I land a satisfying blow to the wolf's left hip.

Behind me I hear Charlie gasp and, without letting the wolf fully out of my sight I glace over to make sure he's ok. What I find in concerning. There are more wolves outside and some are making their way towards us. If we don't get out of here soon, we might never make it out.

I nock the wolf back and throw a chair at it hoping it gets tangled up and grab Charlie, racing towards the front of the house.

"We have to get out of here." I bite out as I pick him up and sprint towards the car. I'd rather leave the thing, but there are things we shouldn't leave behind in it and so we are shackled to the metal contraption, even if I could run us away faster.

"It's coming Carlisle!" Charlie gasps out in my ear.

I put him on his feet and push him toward the door. "Go! I'll catch up."

"Carlisle!" He protests.

"Charlie, go!" I say, pushing him towards the door again. "I can run faster than any car. You need to get out of here."

He grabs my face and kisses me fiercely, then finally sprints towards the door. I hope there aren't more wolves out there guarding the truck, but I don't have time to worry about it as I turn back towards the hall we came from, and the wolf that is stalking towards me.

"We really don't have to do this." I try, not really expecting much.

The wolf only growls and launches himself at me. I nock him to the ground, and he crashed into the stairs. Wood splinters beneath him, but he jumps right back up and comes at me again. I let him, but also cede ground as I inch towards the door. I glance around the room, looking for anything that might actually keep the damn thing down for longer than a moment. All I come up with a metal poker next to the fireplace across the room. Not really going to work. Maybe if I can get the door in between us, it'll give me enough time to use my speed to my advantage and get away.

The next time the wolf lunges for me, I nock him into the hall closet, slam that door closed then bolt out the front door, slamming that door behind me too. I'm glad to see the truck is gone from the driveway. I don't stop to count how many wolves are milling around the place, I just take off down the road towards the edge of town. I can hear the nips and yowls of the wolves who are undoubtedly on my trail, but I don't dare look behind me. I just run. Towards freedom. Each step closer to my children and towards Charlie. As I run and the sounds of purist grow fainter (vampires can run much faster than any wolf) I let a small smile spread over my face.