Chapter Seventeen - EJ's POV

I knew that the last thing my sister wanted to do was go to a party, so I convinced her to stay in for the night.

"What am I going to do about Mom and Dad?" she whispered to me, knowing that our parents were in the house. We were betting that they were too busy paying attention to each other than listening in on our conversation. The reason we didn't speak mind-to-mind was so that we could continue to project our shield; while it didn't fully disguise our thoughts, it did shield them enough so that our dad couldn't quite read them. "They're already getting pretty suspicious."

"We'll figure it out when I get back, okay?" I shrugged into the black leather jacket Aunt Rose had given me for our birthday. But it reminded me of Jacob and what happened, and so I quickly pulled it off before turning to give Mei a warm hug. "Don't sweat it, sis."

"Have fun," she replied, her brown eyes worried until I tugged on one of her bronze curls.

"I'll try."

Taking off, I reached the end of the driveway within minutes, where Grandpa was waiting for me. His eyes widened at my sudden appearance as I climbed into the truck. "But how - "

"You really wanna know?" I teased, amused when he rolled his eyes and shuddered just a bit.

"I'm good," he grumbled, shifting gears as he pulled out into the highway. "So, you and Ness are friends with the Emerson's girl?"

"I guess."

Grandpa snorted at that. "She's a nice enough girl. Spoiled rotten if you ask me, though."

I listened to him chatter away the rest of the drive, not really participating in the conversation. Indeed, he was rarely the talkative sort, and I wondered if he could sense my turmoil. Smiling at him in thanks as we reached Chelsea's ostentatious residence, I opened my door to step out when he said, "I'll pick you up at ten, kiddo."

"Aww, ten?" I whined, immediately turning around to give him a pleading pout.

"Isn't that your usual curfew?"

I pushed just a bit of my gift into my voice. "But this is a party, Grandpa!"

"Fine, 11:30 then, but you better be outside and - oomph!" he gasped as I shot forward to hug him before hurrying out the truck.

"Love ya, Gramps!" I called back, shutting the door before bounding up the steps of the manor.

Grandpa pulled out behind me while muttering, "What have I just agreed to?"

I knocked on the door, and Chelsea was there to greet me almost instantaneously. "Hey, EJ."

"Hey," I said with a smile, hiding my disappointment. Didn't Ciel already know I was here? "Sorry, am I early?"

She giggled as the music in the background rose in volume, stepping aside to let me enter. "Not at all. The house is nearly full."

"It's one helluva house," I whistled, taking in the wide foyer. It wasn't as big as the main Cullen residence, but it was still pretty impressive. Empty stone podiums stood against the blue walls, their usual displays no doubt tucked away for safekeeping from the partiers. Several people milled about on the spiral stairwell, though the upper level seemed to be off limits.

Chelsea lead me down the crowded hall to a large sitting room whose furniture was pushed to the sides to form a dance floor. The music was louder in here due to the acoustics created by the high ceiling, from which a chandelier dangled. It provided the only source of light, creating a sort of disco effect while the throng of students writhed. "Do you want to dance?" the hostess yelled above the music, not knowing that I could have heard her if she'd whispered.

"I - "

"Yo, EJ, over here!" I looked up in relief to see Manny waving me over from the punch table, and gave Chelsea an apologetic shrug before making my way towards him and the rest of the gang. He looked behind me curiously before asking, "Where's Nessie?"

"She had to stay in tonight - wasn't feeling well!" I answered, feeling guilty. The poor boy was obviously enchanted by my sister, and she'd kissed him right before having sex with Jacob. Sure, the rayen was to blame, but I didn't think our friend would see it that way. "Thanks for the rescue."

"No problem, mi amigo!" he replied with lopsided grin, taking a quick swig from the plastic cup in his hand.

Zaby shook her head and took the cup from him with an admonishing glare. "I think you've had just about enough."

"Por qué?"  Manny slurred, trying and failing to get back his cup. "S'just punch."

Her blue eyes rolled as she told him, "You're speaking Spanglish, Manny!"

"I'll take him outside for some fresh air," Reelie offered, putting an arm around the now swaying Hispanic. "Anyone want to join us?"

"Count me in!" the brunette shouted as she put down Manny's drink. "I need a break from this unbelievable loud music."

"I'm going to find Ciel."

Shoving back her blonde bangs, Reelie looked me in the eye and said in a voice filled with sympathy, "Last time I saw her, she was dancing..."

"Let's dance, Fishing Reel!" Manny suddenly exclaimed.

"Think we should go and find that fresh air now." Zaby took the boy's other side as she lead him towards the exit. "Later, EJ!"

I nodded in response, already searching for mon ange. A lone black curl flashed into view for a moment, and I merged onto the dance floor to find the rest. Sliding around a couple that was doing more making out that actual dancing, I finally had a direct line to Ciel but paused when I caught sight of what she wore. Her dress was sequined and bronze, with a neckline that I only knew was a halter top because of Aunt Alice's constant fashion lessons and a skirt so short I felt my cheeks turn red just at the sight of it alone. Thigh-length boots the same metallic shade climbed up impossibly long legs, and her bangs were held back with a bronze clip, revealing her stunning eyes outlined in a matching watery eyeliner. All in all, she nearly took my breath away.

And then, her dance partner came into view, and the wind truly was knocked out of me.

Fury rose swiftly to replace my shock as I stormed towards them, grinding my teeth. Ciel's gaze darted upwards at my approach, unsurprised at neither my appearance or my ire. Graham pulled her closer to whisper in his ear in what he no doubt thought was a sultry tone, "God, you are so bangable."

It was easy for me to tell from the small twitch of her eye that she hadn't found the compliment very flattering, but she still grinned and purred into his ear, "Thanks, amour (Trans: love)."

That was quite enough. Grabbing the human's shoulder in a tight grip, I gave him a smile full of danger and asked in a falsely polite tone, "Mind if I cut in?"

His Adam's apple bobbed as he nodded spastically, immediately letting go of Ciel as if she had some sort of plague. "S-sure thing, man! I d-didn't know she was your girl, I swear!"

"I am - "

"Well, now you do," I said, cutting Ciel off and turning away to grip her waist. She refused to meet my eyes as Graham scampered off, shuffling reluctantly as I lead us around in a circle. "What the hell was that? Are you still trying to get back at me for the Reelie thing?"

"What if I am?" she challenged abruptly, her eyes finally meeting mine. I couldn't tell what lay in that sapphire gaze besides anger...or was it torment? "What the hell would you do about it, EJ?"

My own eyes narrowed as I glared at her. "I already told you that I don't like her like that!"

"Bullshit!"

"No, you wanna know what's bullshit? Your attitude! It's taken an entire one eighty since the last time we talked. What's gotten into you?"

She was trying to pull away by this point, but I wouldn't let her go. "Nothing but a bit of common sense. Now let go of me!"

"Not until you tell me what this is really about," I demanded, trying to understand what could have happened to make her act like this. My anger had dissolved into total confusion. "Tell me, mon ange."

The words seemed to break through her temper as the torment grew in her eyes along with a wealth of tears. I quickly raised my hands to wipe them away, and her fingers wrapped around my wrists as she tried to hold back her sobs. "Je ne peux pas. Je ne peux pas! (Trans: I cannot. I cannot!)"

"Pourquoi?" I begged, growing fearful at the utter desolation in her violet blue gaze. "Ciel, why?"

Her eyeliner rain down my fingers as she continued to quietly cry, looking at me as if the world was about to end. I pulled her out from the throng of people swiftly, heading out a back entrance onto a porch. It was quiet out here under the starlight sky, but I barely noticed as I lifted her into my arms and flitted away to a dark corner by the end of the yard. As soon as I set her down on her own two feet, Ciel crumpled to the ground, burying her face in her arms as she rocked back and forth.

"Ciel? Ciel, I'm freaking out here. You have to tell me what's wrong, please." A thought suddenly struck me, and my stomach twisted as I asked in a breathless voice, "Is it the Volturi?"

She gave no sign that she had heard me, and I was about to beg her again when she said in a trembling voice, "Oui."

It seemed she had reverted back to her natural tongue in her nearly catatonic state. Pushing aside my panic, I reached out to my sister, waiting until her barriers were lowered to tell her, Ciel's in crisis mode. It has something to do with the Volturi.

We'll be right there!

Not all of you - we're still at Chelsea's party.

Well, get somewhere else, Mei told me in a hard tone, cause I'm bringing the whole damn calvary whether you like it or not.

I just mentally sighed before focusing back on Ciel, rising to my feet. "C'mon, we have to go." When she didn't move, I scooped her back into my arms. Her hands lowered automatically, and I looked down at her with the biggest smile I could muster. "Don't be worried. I won't let anything happen to you."

"I love you."

"I know." Before I could take off, she grabbed my face and twisted it back to her own. There was a new sort of desperation in her, a fearful anxiety that gleamed past the sheen of tears.

"No, you don't know," she told me, her voice high with agitation. "You won't know. And you won't forgive me."

"Ciel - "

"But it's okay." Dragging me closer, I could see my own green eyes reflected in hers as she uttered in a barely audible breath, "Because I'll make it better. I promise I'll fix things. I promise." Her lips grazed mine, soft and smooth, and I felt the rayen boiling beneath the surface of the otherwise innocent kiss.

I didn't have the opportunity to return it, because suddenly a force hard enough to hurt me slammed into my head. I fell to the ground as Ciel jumped out of my arms to catch me, whispering words I couldn't understand as the world began to go dark and my sister screamed in my head.

Eyes...I had to keep my eyes open.

Jay, don't close your eyes. Don't close them!

Ciel, what did you say?

Jay, you have to stay awake. Don't go to sleep! EJ, don't go to sleep! 

I won't, Mei, not until I know what she's saying...

Stay with me Jay! Please, you have to stay...me...don't...

"Toujours et toujours."

...don't...stay...awake...

"Forever and always."

...sleep...

"Sleep, ma amour."

My eyes closed.

~~~~~

So, finally, after who knows how long, an update has appeared, and is it a helluva cliffhanger or what! EJ's out cold by Ciel-knows-who, Nessie's rallying the troops to get there in time, and Manny's so drunk he's speaking Spanglish. Will the Cullens get there in time to save the day? Will Ciel finally reveal her true colors? Will Jacob become a baby daddy? Will Edward and Bella let him live long enough for that to even happen? Will Zaby finally get to play tonsil hockey with Graham? Will Chelsea's party be overrun with vampires, if it isn't already???

You'll will find out in the next chapter, which should be up next Thursday on the ninth! Until then, freak out in the comments while I laugh evilly at my totally climax changing chapter that no one saw coming...right?

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Right. >:D