"Merry Christmas to you, Baby," Renee answered back as she and Bella crossed over into each other's embrace.
They shortly separated and a boisterous exchange of greetings between the Swans and the remaining Cullens quickly followed. Nearly all of this exuberance was directed at Phillip. Emmett hoisted Phillip off the floor, held him high overhead and gave him a quick twirl. This was done to the glee of the six year old. Nessie was equally as enthusiastic as she smothered him in hugs and kisses. Rosalie followed Emmett's lead and gave Phillip a slow twirl as she held him snug into her embrace. Phillip excitedly soaked up this attention. By the time that all of the greetings had been completed, he had forgotten about the myriad of presents beneath the tree. It took a minute long lull from this spirited activity to bring his mind back to them.
"Can I open it now, Momma?" Phillip pleaded after dropping down on his knees in front of the largest gift box.
Nearly half of the gifts situated beneath the tree belong to Phillip. The two families; connected by marriage, devoted most of their attention at this time of year to their youngest member. In the past, Nessie had also been a favorite target of the families' excess of affection. However; the rapidly aging daughter of Bella and Edward reached a level of maturity three years earlier that obligated her to be equally generous in response to this attention. To ease her efforts, the families reluctantly agreed to restrain themselves to one thoughtfully considered gift apiece; the same as they did for each other.
For Charlie and Renee, finding gifts for their vampire in-laws was at first a yearly challenge. After the first two years of their association the Swans figured out that the only thing they could give to the Cullen vampires that would be of any practical use to them was clothing. Renee assumed full responsibility for this endeavor and spent the whole of each year on the lookout for something that was perfectly suited for each of them.
The Cullen vampires were inclined to be equally limited in scope, but for an altogether different reason. They feared large, ostentatious gifts would draw unwanted attention to the Swans and to them. To minimize this concern, they invariably limited their presents, to Charlie and Renee, to gift certificates of semi generous denominations, or modest trinkets for their home. The Cullens were even less generous when it came to gifts between themselves. These presents were usually things that had a special significance to the receiver and little or no value to anyone else. Giving gifts was not a common practice within the vampire community. It was only the Cullens' association with others outside of their kind that motivated them to participate in these annual practices.
It took Phillip a little more than thirty minutes to rip through the packaging of all nine of his gifts. The rest of the family had not opened any of theirs during this time. Their interests were busy enjoying Phillip's excitement over the new toys he had acquired. The collection he unpackaged at this time consisted of a video gaming system, a pair of plastic air guns with foam projectiles, a toy drum set, a toy laptop computer, a kick scooter, a toy acoustic guitar, a comic-book character action figure, a pair of toy walkie-talkies and a pogo stick. With nothing left for Phillip to open, the two families considered, for the first time, opening something belonging to someone else. No one was eager to do this. The exchanging of gifts was mostly a formality for the two families. The real gift for them was their collective presence beneath the same roof. However; the need to do something prevailed over Alice's reluctance and she leapt up onto her feet to start off the exchange.
"Well, if no one else is going to start, than I guess I'll have to do the honors."
Retiring to the dinner table would have been their first choice of things to do, but the guest list was not complete for this. The arrival time suggested by Nessie had passed twenty minutes earlier. She became increasingly worried that her last two guests were not coming. Nessie feared a no show no call would suggest some disharmony between her and them. Over the course of the past thirty minutes, she ducked away to check on the status of the food on five separate occasions. Renee joined her on one of these trips, and Bella and Esme assisted her twice. Their concern was that the meal might burn or dry out. The Christmas dinner that Nessie and her vampire relations had prepared was safely preserved by this attention, but they doubted this would be the case for much longer. Alice was in the midst of searching through the remaining unopened gifts when the sound of a car out front, rumbling to a stop, diverted her attention.
"That must be them," Alice insisted as she went to the window. "It is," she added three seconds later.
Nessie set off immediately for the front door with Esme and Carlisle a few steps behind. After a brief wait in the vestibule for the new arrivals to reach the front entrance, Nessie pulled open the door and ushered them in.
"Hi, come on in. Merry Christmas," Nessie greeted with a smile to both Jacob and Billy Black.
Esme and Carlisle echoed her tidings.
Jacob hurried into the vestibule with Billy hoisted up in his arms. They both tossed out a "Merry Christmas" as they crossed through the doorway.
"Everyone is in the living-room," Esme instructed with a point.
"I'll go get the chair," Carlisle advised a second behind as he rushed out the front door.
Nessie and Esme followed their late arrivals into the living-room. Carlisle shortly followed with Billy's wheelchair. The Blacks were greeted warmly by the Cullens, for the most part and vice versa. Rosalie and Jacob maintained a playful hostility towards one-another. This was the high point of any animosity between them. The adversities they shared in their joint recent history did much to make them comfortable in each other's company. Charlie's affection for Billy and Jacob was a motivating factor for them all to get along as well. The Blacks were as dear as family to him and Charlie had not gone through a Christmas within the past decade and a half without spending some portion of it in their company. It was for this reason more than any other that no Cullen would consider excluding them from this dinner, Nessie most of all.
Half a dozen minutes after the arrival of the Blacks, the festivities moved into the dining room. The dining area was a decoration in itself. Large red, green and white stars and snowflakes dangled from strings attached to the ceiling. An eight place oak table with a black cherry finish was in the center of the room. A Red, green and white floral patterned table cloth adorned its top. A large bouquet of red roses, red berries, pinecones, carnations, flat cedar and magnolia leaves in a wide shallow vase served as the centerpiece. Two, three inch wide and six inch tall, red pillar candles situated on a flat green glass leaf shape pedestals were positioned on opposing sides of the centerpiece along the table's length. Six place settings of tableware rimmed with gold, red and green floral designs, clear crystal glassware and brightly polished stainless steel silverware were situated on the table.
Nessie, with some help from Renee, conducted the presentation of the dinner. The Cullens, minus Nessie, shortly left the dining area after they had seen to the comfort of the others and had witnessed their delight with the décor. The Cullens did not want to appear to be hovering while the others ate. While it was possible for them to consume mortal food, the pretense of enjoying the activity in front of the Swans and the Blacks was too disconcerting, to all, for the Cullens to endure. Instead, they took pleasure from their mortal and half mortal relations feasting on the fruits of their efforts as they waited in the living-room for reports on their culinary expertise. Much of this information they received during the first half of the meal as they listened to their discourse. Compliments about the food were tossed out to Nessie at near regular intervals. Often she would defer their praise to Esme or Alice or some other member of her vampire relations.
At the start of the second half of the dinner, the conversation turned onto commentary about the Christmas activities of friends and family within their respective communities. It shortly transitioned from there into humorous and/or interesting anecdotes regarding the follies and triumphs of Christmases past. Charlie and Renee told stories a
bout their early Christmases together during their first marriage. Billy related stories of his past Christmas experiences, with and before Jacob. All were in high spirits. Nessie eagerly took in every story and Phillip simply reveled in the gaiety of the event. All were in the midst of laughter when Charlie stopped to comment to Billy and Jacob.
"Speaking of bad Christmases, you should be thankful you didn't have to attend the Christmas pageant at Jefferson Elementary."
Some brief chuckles erupted in response to this comment.
"That bad, was it?" Jacob questioned with a laugh.
"It wasn't that bad," Renee quickly defended. "And you were the best," she dotingly spoke to Phillip sitting to her left.
Charlie was seated at the head of the table at Phillip's immediate left. Nessie was seated to Charlie's immediate left and across from Phillip. Jacob and Billy were seated to Nessie's left, in that order.
"You had a part in the play?" Jacob quickly queried Phillip with a smile.
Phillip nodded his head in the affirmative as his mouth continued to work on his latest spoonful of food.
"Did you have any lines?" Billy questioned a second behind.
Phillip again nodded in the affirmative as he worked to finish the morsel in his mouth.
"He was one of the lambs," Nessie quickly explained. "So he had to walk around and bah like a lamb."
"Well this I have to hear," Billy exclaimed with a smile.
"Let Billy hear your lamb call," Renee gleefully encouraged.
Phillip completed a last couple of swallows as he leaned forward over the table from his high chair. His hands straddled his plate. He looked across at Billy excitedly and then let out an enthusiastic bah. He repeated this rendition several times in response to the smiles and applause from all there. After a brief time, Renee reined him in with a gentle grasp of her hands about his waste.
"Okay, that's good. We've heard enough," Renee advised as she situated him back into his seat.
Pleased with himself, Phillip gleamed at all there and then returned to his meal.
"Well I'm impressed," Jacob acknowledged cheerfully. "I would have come just to see that."
Phillip soaked up Jacob's praise with a brief dance of excitement in his seat as he munched on his food.
Charlie took a moment to smile admiringly at the six year old. "Well, he was cute in his costume."
"It was a cute show for five, six, seven and eight year olds," Nessie defended. "I thought the sets could have been a little better," she critiqued a second behind. "But it was still a cute show."
"Yeah, well maybe you can engineer some better sets after you graduate," Charlie jokingly tossed out. "Because I can't imagine what else you can use a degree in Humanities for."
"There are lots of things you can do with a Humanities degree," Renee insisted.
"I'm sure there are lots of jobs out there where a degree in Humanities might be a plus, if not necessarily a requirement," Charlie playfully retaliated.
"What are you worried about, Charlie?" Jacob laughingly joined in. "You're the County Sheriff. You can give her a job."
Before Charlie or anyone could respond to this, Nessie spoke up with a somewhat solemn report.
"I'm not getting a job after I graduate."
For a brief moment the table went silent. Nessie's statement was not shocking to anyone there, but it was unexpected. An explanation was needed and all, aside from Phillip, turned to Nessie with mildly perplexed expressions as they pondered what that might be.
"I'm leaving after I graduate," Nessie softly spoke out over the table.
Jacob immediately went rigid after hearing this. He set his knife and fork down and leaned back in his seat as he glared at Nessie. All there, except Phillip, took note of his anxiety and all concealed it from view as best they could.
"Leaving," Renee questioned with a surprised inflection? "Honey, where are you going?"
All at the table waited on her answer. Nessie glanced at their faces before rendering her response.
"I'm leaving Washington. I'm going away with Mom and Dad."
Phillip took no notice of Nessie's report and continued to consume his food. Charlie, Renee and Billy were stunned by this and went silent for lack of a response. Jacob grew all the more intense in his demeanor after hearing this and fumed as he worded his reactionary retort.
"You're not one of them, Nessie. No matter how hard you try, you'll never be one of them."
Nessie's temperament was instantly driven to anger by the tone of Jacob's assertion. Even Phillip took time out from his eating in response to Jacob's reproof. Charlie, Renee and Billy were once again stunned into spectators. Much of what transpired between Nessie and Jacob was unknown to them. Speculation based upon hearsay from others and random remarks from them were the limit of their knowledge regarding the private affairs between the two. This sudden outburst of open exchanges had them intent on hearing what more might get said.
"I'm more of a Cullen than I'll ever be of anything else," Nessie furiously declared. "And I'll never be a wolf!"
"No one's asking you to be," Jacob argued back.
"My life is my own," Nessie yelled as she turned to look at Jacob face on. "I won't be programmed to meet someone else's plan for me.
"But that's exactly what you're trying to do, Nessie," Jacob countered with equal ferocity. "You're trying to make yourself something you're not."
"And you're not," Nessie roared back an instant behind?
Jacob had no response for this and glared all the more angrily at Nessie for the loss of it.
"Ah, excuse me," Charlie carefully interrupted three seconds later. "Does Bella know about your plans after college?"
During all of this time the conversation was being monitored by the Cullens. At the turn of the topic to Nessie's future plans, Bella decided it was important that she become a part of it. She walked into the dining room just as Charlie finished his query. Nessie noted her entry and deferred to her for the answer.
"We've talked about the possibility of doing some traveling together."
Bella expressed her words delicately, with an eye towards Jacob's response. He, in turn, rose angrily to his feet while holding an intense stare towards her. He stood there for a moment without saying a word or making a motion. All eyes were upon him as their owners pondered what he might say next. Several seconds later, Jacob turned away from the table and stormed from the room. Less than a minute after that, he was out the front door and bounding through the forest, on all fours.
4- Call of the Wretched
Jacob raced through the forest for more than an hour with only a general direction in mind. His anger with Nessie, and Bella most of all, blocked any real thoughts about where he was or where he was going. The deep snow, up to five feet high in some places, had finally begun to take its toll on his stamina. His legs began to ache from the exertion of running. The fatigue and the voices chattering in his head began to ruminate in his thoughts. Annoyed by this distraction from his fury, he shook them off and pushed himself still harder, refusing to give in to them.
The forest was a maze smothered in snow. The usual landmarks and smells that kept him informed of his general locale were hidden from view and from smell. The crisp clean air made airborne scents more pungent, but the smells beneath his feet were undetectable without first putting some effort into rooting them out. Jacob cared nothing for this. Nightfall was rising in the east and he was determined to get beneath it as fast as he could.
More voices began to boom in his thoughts. He shook his head as if they were flies buzzing about him. Go away, he thought and then he pushed himself harder. Twin trails of condensation fell behind him on either side of his person as he raced through each powerful huff of breath he exhaled. Frost formed over his whiskers and turned them white. He bounded down the slope of a gorge. The snow at the bottom was so deep he had to hold his head high to keep his snout clear of it. On the upslope side he had trouble holding his footing. It took five strides to
do what normally he would have done in one.
On the top side of the gorge the ground leveled out. A stand of trees lay before him. Their number and proximity to each other effectively walled off the terrain fifty yards in. The snow clinging about the trunks and caked upon the limbs all but camouflaged the forest beneath the white of winter. He raced on. The snow was not as deep here. He zigzagged around the trees with just enough space between himself and them to negotiate their width and still hold true to his course, due east.
Jacob, don't do this.
More voices in his head. Leave me alone, Jacob thought as he raced on towards the failing light. It suddenly began to snow. The white of the forest and the ground beneath it began to blend into this curtain of flakes that filled the air. He raced on without concern for the new downfall. His vision was barely tested by the blinding panorama of white. The ground suddenly took on a downward slant. He could smell water quickly getting closer. The absence of sound told him it was likely not a stream.
Where am I?
Jacob allowed himself to ponder a thought. The trees suddenly thinned and an expanse of water quickly formed from behind the blind of snowfall. The width of the river was so great that he could not at first discern the far-side of its bank. A few seconds more and its distant shore vaguely came into view. The snowfall shrouded the distant landscape like a veil of mist. Despite this hindrance he knew exactly where he was now. He turned south along the river's shore. There would be easier crossing further down, he thought. No sooner had he reset his course did his mind slip back into his fury.
Why is she doing this to me? His mind echoed this questioned.
Come home, Jacob. The unwanted thoughts continued to flood his thinking in ever greater numbers.
Is she deliberately trying to hurt me? Why must she always be against me?
She's a vampire. Vampires are always against us.
Jacob tried to push Paul's mind out his head. It's too crowded in her. I have to run faster. I have to go farther.
The Malevolent Vampire Page 3
