chapter 7: run

I woke up once, while the sun was still out. I could tell because there was actually a fairly large window above the bed with a tiny bit of light peeking through the dark curtain. But then I fell back asleep almost instantly.

When I woke up again, it was darker. The sun must have just went down. I was also cooler then I had been earlier. It was so hot down here. There was a growling noise coming from somewhere in the room. It wasn't Jake because I suddenly figured out why I was so cool.

I actually had my head rested against his chest, his arm was around me and my arm was around him. I moved away from him. As I did I saw the growling figure on Jake's side, not too far from the bed. My heart lept in a million different directions. I got an instant familiar feeling.

"Kale?" I breathed, hopeful. The growling stopped. He looked at me. My eyes finally adjusted enough to the dark. "Kale!" I flew out of the bed, over Jake and into his arms. "Kale!" I repeated. "You came!"

"I'll always come for you, Jamie. Always." He finally answered. There was sudden movement and Jake sat up.

"Kale?" He asked, sounding confused for an instant. "Oh, finally!" He jumped out of bed and turned on the lights.

The only reason the lights were being turned on was because of me. I looked up at Kale, whose eyes were a dark shade of blue. His dark hair was tossled. His pale skin was dirty.

"Where's Dante?" Jake asked.

"He took off trying to re-group." Kale answered, gazing down at me. I looked up, meeting his eyes. He smiled at me. Then he looked at Jake angrily.

"How'd you end up here?"

Jake took a step back and shrugged.

"Safest place I could think of."

Kale let out a hmph sound.

"But it is. And they're nice too." I defended. He looked back down at me.

"You feel safe here?" He asked carefully. I nodded.

"I do."

He continued to gaze down at me, then sighed.

"Do you think you'll feel safe for a few more days?" He asked quietly. His eyes shifted to Jake who suddenly decided to leave the room.

"Are you leaving again?" I asked, grabbing onto his arms.

"I have to." He breathed into me.

"Please don't." I heard my voice break. He swallowed.

"Jamie, I want to protect you but to do that I have to leave--"

"No." I shook my head, interrupting him.

"I'm sorry." He whispered.

"Kale--"

"Oh, Jamie. I'll be back to check up on you, I promise." He brushed the hair out of my face. "I love you. You know that, don't you?"

I nodded.

"I love you too." I could hardly whisper.

His hands cradled my face and he kissed my lips softly for the longest time. My heart was still drumming around in my chest. His hands slid down to my waist, pulling me to him. We finally pulled away, he kept his arms around me.

"I'm glad I came. I thought seeing you would be hard but Jamie. My Jamie. You look so beautiful." He breathed. I blushed. He smiled.

"There it is." He grinned. I pulled myself closer to him, digging my face into his chest, taking in his scent.

"Don't stay away too long..." I pleaded.

"No. Not even if I wanted to. Nothing could ever keep me away from you for very long." He assured. "Come back in." He spoke, still holding me. The door opened and Jake came in slowly.

"Keep your hands off Jacob. I'm sick of seeing your arms around her." He practically hissed.

"Sorry Master Zero, it won't happen again." Kale growled, then let me go. I looked up, his eyes turning darker. He kissed my lips one last time.

"I'll be back." He told both of us. And then he was gone. A few minutes past and my heart began to calm down. It was like my heart began to race yesterday, as he was on his way here. I had known he was coming. I stared in front of me, at the spot where he had just been standing. Finally Jake moved. I looked at him.

"He wasn't planning on staying long." Jake mumbled.

"I know..." I let out an annoyed groan as I took a good look at him. "Why is your shirt off, Jacob?"

He looked down at himself and laughed. He looked back at me, he abruptly stopped laughing.

"What?" He was trying not to continue laughing.

"I was sleeping on top of you. Your shirt was off. I can't even imagine what that must have looked like." I muttered.

"Jamie," He sighed. "I think he would have been more upset if he would have seen you before I pulled you into my arms."

I knew there must have been a reason why I ended up that way. I wouldn't have done that myself.

"You were so hot, you were sweating. Your face was so red, you almost looked sickly. Taking the blanket off of you didn't work..." He continued.

"Is that the only reason why I ended up like that?" I cocked my eyebrow.

"Yes." He nearly snapped at me. I stared at him. He looked away. "Of course not." He muttered.

I narrowed my eyes at him. Then there was a knock on the door. I was the only one that jumped, Jake was already opening the door.

"Dante's clan are in the city." Jason told us instantly.

"What?" We both gasped in response.

"Jake, come with me. Anya will stay down here with Jamie--"

"Stay down here?" I interrupted, pushing my way in front of Jake.

"Your scent is almost smothered from outside and Anya is alot stronger then she looks." Jason gazed down at me.

"Talking about me, are we?" Her voice came from behind Jason, who spun around.

"Oh, there you are! We have to get out of here." Jason moved passed her and motioned Jake to follow.

Jake looked down at me then at Anya who nodded. He sighed deeply but followed. Anya came in now, sitting on the bed. She patted beside her. I sat down.

"Don't worry, we'll protect you the best we can." She assured me.

"I have no doubt." I whispered. She smiled.

"You trust a little too easily." She informed me. I looked at her and shrugged.

"Shouldn't I?"

"Maybe not. You can definitely trust us, it's just that..." Her voice trailed off.

"Some people can be manipulative." I finished for her.

She nodded, then smiled softly.

"So, how in the world did you end up with vampires?" She asked changing the subject. I was smiling now.

I told her about Dante, the hooded vampires, how Kale was ordered to watch over me, how Zero's clan ambushed Dante's, how I ended up with Zero and met Jacob.

"Well...it sounds like you're in love with both Zero and Kale." Out of the 10 minutes I spent telling her the story, that's what she got out of it? She wasn't stupid, I give her that much. She figured it out alot quicker then Jake did. I bit my lip. She laughed.

"I can't believe Zero was able to pull something like that off--"

"You won't tell anyone, will you?" I asked anxiously.

"Of course not." She waved her hands in a dismissive way. "Does Jake know?"

I nodded.

"He's alot smarter then he looks." I pointed out. She laughed.

"I never would have imagined Jacob would befriend a human, it's just not like him." She let out as if unable to stop herself.

"That really surprises all of you."

She nodded.

"But why?" I asked. "Why is it so hard to befriend humans?"

"I think you know the answer to that."

I gazed at her and nodded slowly.

"Are you guys actually werewolves? Jacob said "kind of" when I asked if that's what you guys were...He called you guys wolves."

She rolled her eyes, I think it was directed towards Jake calling them wolves. "We're shapeshifters, not werewolves."

"So you turn into the animal? You really are wolves?" I asked.

She cocked her head, curiously and smiled. She seemed to always be smiling like that, which made her seem, human...

"Yes. How curious..." She muttered to herself. "Do you know what werewolves look like, dolcetto?"

I blushed a tiny bit, remembering Jake telling me what that word meant.

"Well, I got this off the internet, so correct me if I'm wrong; The difference between werewolves and shapeshifters is that werewolves stand on two feet, almost with a human body. They're hairless and have leathery, greyish-blue skin. But they still have dog-like faces. Shapeshifters actually take form of the animal itself, four legs, fur, tail and all...Right?" I looked at her a little timidly.

She laughed. "For once the internet is correct, so odd. I'm sure people don't believe that stuff though...." Her voice trailed off.

There was a knock on the door. We both looked in the direction as it opened. Two men I hadn't seen upstairs walked in. It was obvious what they were.

"Anya, we have to go." One of them spoke.

"It's the vampires--" The other one began. She nodded and interrupted. We all had really bad habits of interrupting eachother. I found that kind of funny.

"Right." She stood, pulling me up by the arm.

"Can you run fast?" She asked, looking down at me as the others did as well.

"Probably not as fast as you guys."

She laughed. One of the men had a smirk on his face. She nodded at the one who looked like he was trying to hold back his own smirk. He looked different then the others. It was his eyes, they were a hazel color, rather then golden like everyone else I had seen in this house.

He nodded and lifted me off my feet before I could even blink. And then we were running. Anya was beside us the whole time. I was used to the fast pace running by now. I just wished that Kale was the one carrying me. We were upstairs and out the door in seconds. We were running away from the city. Eventually the lights fell behind us.

"No." I heard the one carrying me gasp. He stopped, all three of them growling. My face was covered, burried in this guys chest so the wind wouldn't hurt me as we ran. My head snapped in the direction of the voice that spoke in front of us.

"It seems Zero will stop at nothing, putting her in the hands of muts..." It was Dante. This made my heart jump. Where was Zero? There were a few hooded vampires standing behind him.

"Where is he?" I gasped, not able to hold it in. Dante's hood was up. He turned to me.

"He left Jamie. He only cares about himself. He decided you weren't worth all of this." His mouth was in a straight, tight, serious line. His voice so soothing and gentle, it was hard not to believe him.

"But he--" I began.

"Loves you?" He laughed. "When Anabelle showed up, he didn't hesitate to take her up on his offer."

"What offer?" My throat felt like it was closing, my heart reacted by picking up the pace of it's beating.

"To take off with her. He never loved you, Jamie. I'm sorry he made you believe that."

Sadly, I couldn't help but believing him. Why would Zero love me? Why wouldn't he love Anabelle instead? It would be easier for him to love her, wouldn't it be? He wouldn't have to worry about hurting her...

"Jamie, don't listen to him." Anya whispered beside us. It was too late. What Dante told me made sense. Of course Zero didn't love me. Really, why would he?

"Now, come with me or i'll have to hurt your new friends."

All three of the wolves tensed.

"Go." Anya breathed.

At first I thought she was talking to me but the man who was still holding me, took off running. Dante definitely could have been lying. But it just made so much sense to me that it could also be the truth. Zero was supposed to be fighting Dante, Dante was here so then, where was Kale I mean Zero? I was lost in my thoughts when the man stopped suddenly. He set me on my feet.

"He's lying." Jake said in front of me. I looked up at him, not sure where he came from. He looked dirty and a little worn out if that was even possible for vampires?

"How do you know?" I asked him quietly.

"Because Zero would never turn his back on you. Because he does love you. Because it was only by pure luck that Dante managed to get away from Zero that long."

"Jacob, how can I know--"

"Who's telling the truth? Jamie, do you really think Zero doesn't love you? Do you really think he's that kind of vampire? No, do you really think he's that kind of man? Who do you trust more?"

Maybe I did trust a little too easily. Could I really be that naive? Why would a vampire love a human? Why would he say he loves me if he really didn't? Now I was even more confused. The answer should have been obvious but the truth was it really wasn't!

My heart was pounding so hard in my chest I couldn't help but wonder if I was having some type of anxiety attack. Then out of nowhere, like Jake, Zero was standing in front of me, much closer then Jake.

"I will never run out on you." He told me sternly. "I found you somewhere safe. Not even Dante will be able to track you." He grabbed my arm.

"How long is this going to last?" I frowned, planting my feet firmly on the ground.

"What?" He gazed down at me.

"Fighting between your clans? Now the shapeshifters are involved too. Why is it so important for Dante to turn me?"

He just looked at me for the longest time.

"Because he knows you want it." He told me in a low voice. "He sees something in you, and he won't stop until you've been turned. And I won't stop until he's dead."

"Dead?" I gasped.

"The only way he'll give you up is his final death."

"Zero, you can't--"

"I can. I have to."

"No."

He frowned. "This is an endless battle otherwise."

"You can't kill him." I spoke through clenched teeth.

"Are you protecting him?" His frown deepened.

"No." I repeated.

"Then why not?"

I glanced at Jake, then back at him.

"I'm one person, Zero. One human that's only been alive for 18 years. I'm not worth getting killed over."

"You're worth it to me." He answered with an angrier frown.

"Please. Don't kill him." I begged.

"If he leaves you alone, I won't."

"Nothing I say will change your mind?" I asked desperately.

"No."

"Nothing I do will change your mind?"

He stared at me, that frown still on his face.

"You wouldn't." He shook his head when he figured it out.

"I would." I crossed my arms.

"Why?"

"This needs to stop. This fighting, over me, it's ridiculious. I can't handle it anymore. If that's what it takes..."

"I won't let you." He interrupted angrily. Jake was looking at us. I could feel the other guy's gaze on us as well.

"Then don't kill him. There has to be a better solution."

He let out an annoyed grunt.

"I'll...think of something." He finally muttered.

"Well then you should go. We'll go get the others." Jake finally said after me and Zero stared at eachother in silence. Zero nodded, grabbing my other arm.

"We'll catch up." Jake told us as Zero pulled me into his arms and took off. Finally, this felt right. I strangely felt warm in his cold, hard arms. I rested my head against him.

"It seems like Dante always finds me." I murmured.

"He's good, I give him that much. But I'm better." He grinned down at me, looking more like himself then before. Then his face became serious. "You didn't believe what he said about me not loving you, did you?"

"Well...." I frowned. He frowned back at me.

"Jamie." He groaned. "Really? I love you so much I don't even know what to do with myself. I've never felt like this towards anyone ever, not since i've been alive. And i've been alive for a very long time."

I bit my lip, looking up at him. Why was it so hard to believe that he could really love me like that?

"Are you sure you've never loved Anabelle?" I couldn't help but ask. He made a disgusted face at me.

"Hell no! She doesn't even compare to you. It's you I love, not her. Never her. Only you." He pressed his forhead down against mine. "I'm so in love with you, Jamie."

I felt my face heat up.

"I'm in love with you too, Kale."

He smiled, pulling his head back.

"So adorable." He told me. Referring to my blush I assumed. I ducked my head. He laughed and kissed the top of my head.

"What happened to staying with Jason and Anya for a few extra days? How did Dante find me?" I asked, quickly changing the subject. I felt him shrug.

"I didn't think Dante would be so quick or tricky and I wasn't expecting Anabelle to show up..." His voice trailed off. I looked up at him again. I winced at her name.

"But what does that have to do with Dante finding me?"

"When she showed up, she...'jumped' me." He muttered. My eyes widened.

"What?" I had never really felt jealous until he said that. I looked out into the passing trees now. The only thing I could picture was his arms around her waist, and hers around his neck. I crossed my arms, frowning as the image of the intimate embrace burned into my mind.

"When she did, she literally knocked me down. It threw me off guard. That's when Dante was able to get away from me. The girl just doesn't think." He said annoyed. He looked down at me when I didn't respond. He laughed.

"What is that look for?"

I looked up at him again, still with an incredibly annoyed look on my face. Well maybe the emotion was jealousy. He stopped laughing when I shrugged and looked away.

"It's not like I grabbed her back or hugged her. I pushed her off of me before she could even get her arms around me."

I let out a sigh.

"Jamie, you shouldn't be jealous--"

"I'm not!" I snapped....I was. He was trying not to laugh.

"I think you are."

"I don't know what you're talking about..."

"I'm sorry, Jamie. I didn't know telling you that would bother you."

"It didn't."

He was staring down at me. I finally looked up at him once again, meeting his gaze. I let out an annoyed sigh now.

"Okay, so I'm bothered by it. But, I mean, I can't help it. I'm only human." I shrugged.

"Well, it's not like I don't get jealous..." His voice trailed off. I was looking at him curiously now. He didn't look at me as he continued;

"Sometimes seeing you with Jake, it just, drives me nuts! I just..." He sighed, finally looking at me again. "Jealousy is not just a human thing. Even though I never thought I'd feel jealous over anyone..." He told me, almost embarrassed.

I smiled at him.

"Let's try not to do that to eachother then. I don't like feeling that way."

He nodded.

"Right. Me either. It's one of those things that you have to feel for yourself to really understand." He looked down at me as if thinking about something other then just jealousy.

I nodded in agreement.

"Anabelle needs to keep her hands off." I mumbled. He let out a laugh.

"Jamie..."

"What?" I looked up at him. "I'm serious. If she touches you around me--"

His lips pressed against mine. I liked that interruption. He was good at kissing me and keeping a steady running pace. He pulled back.

"She won't."

I rolled my eyes at him.

"I'll put her in a headlock." He told me.

I burst out laughing as I pictured it.

"Kale!" I laughed. He laughed now too.

"I will! She'll never touch me again after that." He continued to laugh.

"Who knows, it might be a turn on." I muttered.

"For who?" He gaped at me.

"Her..." I looked up at him again. "Or you." I teased.

He let out a disgusted groan.

"That's not normal, Jamie."

"I know." I looked away now as he ran on.

"I think i'll just do my best to stay away from her." He finally concluded.

"Good idea."

He ran on. The movement of his running made every muscle in my body relax. I almost instantly fell asleep, which I did often. I couldn't help if my sleeping pattern was so off. Living with vampires, messed that up for me a long time ago. But sleep was sleep, I could only take what I could get.

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The picture in this chapter is Jamie