Clearer (J.HALE)

21

"They'll be here in four days."

I sucked in a shallow breath, trying to fill in the gaps in my head. I knew it was something to do with Victoria—it always was—but I was a little lost on who 'they' were. We'd all squeezed into Carlisle's office, the music still filtering in from under the door alongside the occasional whoop or cheer of the graduates. The Cullens all wore grave expressions and Jacob, Quil and Embry lingered in discomfort near the door.

Carlisle leaned against the desk. "This could turn into a bloodbath."

"Who's behind it?" Edward asked, Bella sat beside him staring at her hands.

Alice shook her head. "I didn't see anyone I recognised..." She paused. "Maybe one?"

Jasper flexed his hand and then bunched it into a fist, watching Alice's face intently.

"I know his face," Edward said quietly, frowning. "He's local. Riley Biers."

It took me a moment to clock that he was watching the vision replay in Alice's head. I cringed.

"He didn't start this," Edward added.

"Whoever did is staying out of the action," Alice mused.

Carlisle looked at her. "They must be playing with the blind spots in your vision."

"Either way," Jasper murmured, "the army is coming and there aren't enough of us to protect the town."

If I hadn't lived through almost four months of utter absurdity—vampires, werewolves, Sirens—I would have laughed. Protecting a town from an army felt fictional, and the way he spoke comical, but the uneasiness in the base of my stomach stopped me from finding the humour in it.

"Hold up," Jacob cut in, tired. "What damn army?"

I was glad that he asked, so I didn't have to.

"Newborns," Carlisle answered. "Our kind."

Embry leaned forward. "What are they after?"

"They were passing around Bella's scent," Alice said.

"Fuck me," I murmured, rubbing my temples.

"A red blouse," Alice added.

Jacob cleared his throat. "What the hell does this mean?"

Bella had paled to the point of greenish queasiness.

"It means an ugly fight," Carlisle sighed. "With lives lost."

I dropped my hands to my lap and nibbled on my lower lip. Part of me was convinced that all of this was just a long, vivid dream.

"Alright," Jacob said, glancing between Quil and Embry. "We're in."

My eyes snapped to his face.

"No," Bella said, shaking her head. "You'd get yourselves killed. No way."

"I wasn't asking for permission," he retorted.

"Don't be an idiot, Jake," I snapped.

Bella let out a strange kind of noise that could only be compared to a bubble bursting. "Edward?"

The bronze-haired boy looked at Jacob for a long moment, conflicted, before turning to Bella. "It means more protection for you."