chapter sixteen

Things were escalating, that was for sure. There was so much that seemed to be happening as the days passed rather quickly. Or maybe that was just everyone waiting for something to happen and overthinking the entire situation, but that seemed to be a common theme that followed. Everyone seemed on edge, waiting for something to happen that would cause Finn to come out of hiding. Where he seemingly had been as days, nearly weeks had passed.

The demigod's house remained as it always had. As protected as it could be without breaking all boundaries of law. But it seemed that all of the supernatural's world had decided the best place to settle down and locate was in Forks, Washington. Now, the entire town of Forks was mixed between regular mortals with no clue of what was happening within their town and the supernatural that had been hiding in the crowds.

The grandfather clock ticked loudly as the demigods waited by the door, watching as the time passed. They had been given word that the Cullen's would soon be over to discuss their little... predicament. Knowing they had to get off the table of what they were to get rid of the tension as well discuss their plans on what they could do to get rid of the entire Finn Carnehan issue that had seemingly popped up and disappeared as fast as it had come.

Finn had disappeared from Forks High shortly after the entire incident in Port Angeles. Este wondered if something went horrifically wrong on his end that ended up with him getting killed. Part of her hoped that would happen but she knew that he wasn't dead, she would've known by now if he had died so she assumed like the coward that he was that he went into hiding. And knowing him, he had done just that.

She couldn't say that she blamed him for going into hiding. She would too if she was being tracked down by herself and her family, she knew that they were quite scary and after all, Finn wasn't much of a fighter since it seemed that he was sending monsters off to do his dirty work since he couldn't do it himself. What a lame way to be a murderer.

"They're here," Newt muttered as he felt the waves of death rolling in, looking over at his sister as the doorbell rang, "Everyone ready for this?" He questioned and when being greeted with silence yet unanimous nodding he opened the door, greeting the Cullen's.

"Let me get the liquor," Este couldn't help but joke as she remained against the wall.

"I'm Carlisle Cullen," The doctor introduces himself as soon as the door was opened, "Thank you for agreeing to have this... meeting with us. I understand that we have a mutual problem that we have to resolve before anyone gets hurt. This is my family, my wife Esme. And my children."

"Eurydice," Alice smiled as she bounced on the balls of her feet while Jasper gave a soft nod in the girl's direction causing her lips to quirk upwards as she copied his actions, "And others."

"I could almost say there's a tinge of favoritism," Newt joked as he looked over at Kaz who nearly faltered under Rosalie's glare, "Welcome to our home. I'm Newt Devereaux and this is my twin sister Eurydice...Este, and our brother's Titus and Kaz."

"And what exactly is that," Rosalie questioned as her dark eyes fell onto the Devereaux boy, "I'm just curious so we know what we're dealing with here. Since it seems that no one actually knows," Este couldn't argue with her there.

"Rose," Esme scolded her daughter as she clasped her hands together as she stood near her husband, "Be kind. That was rude to ask them," Esme then looked over towards the demigods with an apologetic smile, "I'm sorry about that."

"No worries," Newt brushed it off as he looked at his sister, almost trying to get her to answer the question for them as there was an awkward silence filling the room.

"We're hemitheoi, or as the mortal myths would call us we are demigods," Este explained as she watched the range of expressions, "Half mortal, half god," She adjusted her posture, "My brother and I are children of Άδης,Titus is a son of Νίκη, Kaz son of Ερμής. So Hades, Nike, and Hermes," She pointed as she spoke each of the gods' names.

"Well that took a turn," Emmett couldn't help but let out as he let out a loud, "That's awesome!" Clearly interested in what they were, causing Titus to smirk and laugh as he looked over at the others who seemed just as pleased by the reaction.

"That's how you knew the death dates," Carlisle pointed out as he looked at Este, "You're a daughter of the Underworld, by myths."

"I can feel death and tell you the moment that someone has died," Este explained as she raised an eyebrow, "I don't choose too and I have to know the person or they have to physically be near me. We can also manipulate the shadows as well as the dead, like when I did it to Rosalie, not meaning to but it proved my theory."

"And what do you think that we are?" Edward asked as he furrowed his eyebrows, "I can't read any of your minds. Not like I can with others." Now that was a new piece of information that Este had definitely not been expecting.

"Read minds? Thank everything you are not reading mine," Este mumbled under her breath.

"Well, we had a theory that you all were Vrykolakas or Striges which is what we believed the monster to be," Newt took back over the conversation as he stayed close to his sister, "Which are blood sucking or flesh eating monsters. But Striges are well known to the Underworld so we tried to push that one out."

"How many of you have abilities?" Kaz asked as he looked between the Cullen's, he didn't seem fond of them in the slightest, "Assuming that you all don't share the ability to read minds." He seemed intrigued by the possibilities of what they could be.

"You weren't too far off," Alice tilted her head to the side before looking at Carlisle, who Este had figured out rather quickly was the leader of their family.

"We're vampires, but not like in your mythology," Carlisle explained calmly as he looked over at his children, "Edward is the only one that can read minds. Alice can see the future, Jasper can manipulate a person's emotions, Emmett has strength greater than a vampires, and Rosalie has enhanced beauty," He explained before looking at them.

"Excuse me, you are a what?"  Este couldn't help but comment, "That's why you always happen to be wherever I am. You see the future. Especially if somethings happening," Este's eyes locked over on Alice and Jasper, "And you tag the embodiment of tension with you."

"Based on decisions, yes. That's why you always see us," Alice seemed proud of this.

Este shook off her temporary shock before explaining, "Kaz has enhanced speed and is a master thief, and Titus is simply quick on his feet. Newt's abilities are slightly different from mine as we took two different areas of the Underworld," Este explained on their behalf before looking at her brother, "Now that uncomfortable conversation is out of the way, let's get on with what we know about Finn and the monsters."

"We believed that they were what we thought you were, due to the bite marks on the neck but I couldn't see much of the body to know if there was any flesh that had been eaten," Este admitted as she looked over at Carlisle, "Assuming with good cause you saw the bodies, did you see any flesh that had been eaten?"

"Blood had barely been drawn out of the body, but yes, there were multiple bite marks and missing pieces of flesh on the victim's body. Besides the markings in their arms which I assume you know about," Carlisle looked over at the twin's.

"The markings were Greek works. Lauren sported a carving meaning unholy, Taylor had similar markings but hers simply said player and I have yet to see the final victim and I'd like to keep it that way," Este moved into the living room as she grabbed the notebooks and laid them out on the table, "But from what I can assume, he carved inveigle."

"All words meaning something to do with either some sort of sexual desire or romantic," Edward was the one to note this out as he looked over at Este, "Was there anything between the two of you?" He questioned, causing Este to rub the back of her neck awkwardly.

"It's a long story," She mumbled before looking over at her brother, "Not like you're thinking. He didn't want to be friends - I was not into him yet he always wanted to be around. Even if I didn't want him around. He didn't get that," Este sighed before looking at Edward, "He told me I led him on, played with his feelings."

"He might have been getting a feel of how he wants to kill you with surrogates," Rosalie explained before she walked over to the girl, "Did he ever try anything with you? Any advances you made very clear you didn't want that he tried to go over?"

"Once or twice, but they never made it to anything because I'd get him off of me or someone would conveniently find me," She looked over at Kaz before looking back at Rosalie, "You think this might have stemmed from his lack of knowing what no means?"

"Possibly," Esme frowned as she looked at the girl, "So, tell us what you know about him. Is there anything that we should be wary of... abilities?" She asked, trying to help out the group.

"He's mortal, or at least we thought he was," Newt spoke up as he leaned against the wall, "The way he made it look he was just another mortal that could see through the mist. That's what separates our world from being exposed to the mortal world. Though, we have a theory that this is more than that."

"We have reason to believe that he may be related to one of the most sought after blood lines in demigod history," Titus finally spoke as he winked at Rosalie before backing off when Emmett gave him a questioning look, "The line of Perseus and Andromeda, drawn from their son Alcaeus. Which would give us the idea that he may be hiding in the house of the Ancestors."

"That's the abandoned house near the town line," Alice was the one to speak up as she looked over at the group, "It has ties into deep greek mythology? You couldn't make that out from the Victorian look that it has."

"It's meant to be that way, much like this house. It's a protective place for those who are like us. Almost impossible to find," Newt then went on to explain again while he furrowed his eyebrows, "Though with how it is being used at the moment, I don't see it as a safe house anymore. Only a hazard."

"One that needs to be taken off of the board," Este looked over at Kaz as she spoke before looking at the vampires, "With how this has to end, he needs to be killed and that house has to be burned. The end of a long line of speculation."

"I don't relish the idea of killing another creature," Carlisle commented as he looked at the two, "The main concern as of the moment is the safety of Este. She is his endgame, so she needs to be kept as far away from that house as possible."

"Yeah, good luck keeping me out of this," Este muttered as she sat down on the couch, "I'm going to be involved in this. My brother is," She looked over at Newt, "Don't you dare protest."

"We can handle a fight," Emmett assured her as he bulked himself out, "If you don't fight then your brother is in perfectly safe hands. We won't let anything happen to any of you," And here was that same stupid promise that had been thrown around people's mouths.

"Look, we all may be friends but that doesn't mean I trust you with my brother's life," Este snapped before lowering her head as Newt glared in her direction, "I'm not going to sit here and lie to you. Newt, you can be mad at me all you want but it's really freaking weird that they suddenly want to help and be friends. Besides, you've never dealt with our type of monsters."

"She has a point," Titus remarked as he passed a joint over to Kaz as one remained lit in his hands, "I find it really odd. We all kept our distances before and they're known for not being very talkative at school. So, why us? Why now?" He questioned as he shrugged his shoulders, "She's got a point."

"Let me guess, he's so tense all the time because he wants a body shot?" Este asked as she pointed at Jasper, "Because that would make sense since he's fully relaxed around all of you until someone living comes around," She leaned back as she shrugged her shoulders, "This is going to be a time."

"A body shot is a crazy statement," Titus snickered.

Jasper and Alice shared a look while the others remained silent. Almost giving off the vibe that whatever had drawn the two families together, it wasn't their place to say. Leaving Este to fall back on what the goddesses' had told her. Was this what they were referring to? Este noticed how everyone's gaze had fallen onto her causing her to narrow her eyes before rising back to her feet, ready to test a theory.

"The gods told me something, about making a choice and being connected into another family. I'm assuming something or someones going to tie me down somehow, how am I doing?" Este asked as she looked over at her brother before looking over at Jasper, "And don't try to manipulate my emotions again, preferably."

"She's got a whole bunch of jokes she likes to bring out before going serious," Emmett commented as he looked between the members of his family, "And she's quick to pick up on things. Quicker than Edwardo over here."

"We're supposed to protect you with our lives," Alice was the one to speak as she stepped closer to Este, "You'll understand more in time, I've seen it. You're connected to Jasper and I, and nothing will happen to any of you."

"Fantastic. I really have great luck with being connected to deadly things," Este joked as she looked over at her brother, "So? What are we all planning to do, or more like what are us demigods planning to do with you guys around. Not sure how you can kill mythological creatures but I guess this is a learning experience for all."

"We go to the house of the Ancestors, burn it? Try to burn him down in it. Going inside seems too risky," Titus commented as he looked around, "Unless the twin's were the ones to go in. The darkness is dark enough that even if there's a glimmer of light they can get out."

"Finn would expect that," Carlisle commented, "And I think that he would want them to be the ones to go in. The love he never got and then the brother who maybe stood in the way," Carlisle shook his head, "This needs to happen outside."

I'm still caught up on the fact I'm tied to two vampires, give me a damn minute, Este couldn't help but think as she looked over at Edward. Narrowing her eyes before letting up as she rubbed her hands together as she grew more annoyed and antsy as time passed. Only finding this to be more of a troubling experience than it really should be. Dumb ways to die, that's what I want on my gravestone.

"He wouldn't expect one thing," Este looked over at Rosalie who was looking in her direction, "He wouldn't expect you to proclaim your feelings for him and maybe that's just what we need to get him out," The look on Este's face gave her clear distaste, "I know it isn't ideal."

"I can tell him I miss screaming and fighting," She joked as she scratched the back of her neck, "Can't we just burn the house with him in it? I mean that sounds like a really safe and effective option to me. Unless he isn't in the house then we can settle that some other time and easily."

"Then you would have committed arson for absolutely no reason," Edward commented as he shook his head, "I can hear Finn's thoughts. When he's around, if he's there... Maybe he's thinking about something he wants. Something from you," He commented and Este made another face of disgust.

"I don't think that Este should be the one going in. He wants to kill her and I don't think that there should be any risk of him being able to get close to her," Esme commented as she looked at the young girl in front of her, "You said it yourself, these monsters are something that are quick and controlled by him. That none of us know how to face."

"We'll stay with her," Course you will. Jasper spoke as he looked at Este, causing the girl to give him a look back, "It would be caught off guard by what we are and by the way that Finn was feelin' the other day, seeing Alice and I would send him into a spiral of anger. A spiral that may be helpful."

"I can easily get anyone in and out. Kaz and Titus can set the house on fire. Este or I could easily get a skeleton to keep him from leaving," Newt retorted.

"A skeleton?" Emmett asked as he raised his hands in the air, "Not to be any sort of offensive but even regular people can break those bones easily, can they not?" He questioned while looking around at the group.

"They won't break," Newt seemed amused by the question before he slipped in his usual humor, for the first time in a while, "I can assure you of that one, big boy."

"So, is this settled?"

And it was a unanimous agreement. Everyone knew what they needed to do and where they needed to be. The vampires were to be near Este and the outside of the house just in case Finn tried to turn back around. Kaz and Titus with their quickened paces could easily get gasoline around the place before lighting it up, and the rest could easily take down Finn and finish everything before it got out of hand.

"Settled."