The Unwanted Imprint

Chapter 36

The next day, Nichole was in her bedroom, curled up in her bed and reading a book. Diana burst into the room like a bat out of hell, and Nichole was surprised that she hadn't broken the door down in the process. "Diana? What's wrong?"

Diana peeked out into the hallway to make sure that no one else was around before speaking. "Your family, they're here, and not only that, but they've brought wolves with them."

"Jacob..." Nichole whispered. He had come for her, they had all come for her.

"I'll try to sneak out tonight, is there a message that you want me to give them for you?"

"Yeah, tell them-" Nichole stopped, biting her lip. She was mulling over Aro's words the night before. As much as she wanted to be with her family again, she didn't want to put them in any danger, especially danger that would be caused because of her. Even with the wolves, they would be outnumbered. "Tell them that I love them and I miss them, and tell them that they need to go back home."

"Go back home?" Diana frowned. "Nichole, even if I did tell them that, I doubt that they would listen to me, especially Jacob. I know how wolf imprints work, and he would do anything that it took to get you back in his arms."

"Back in his arms?" Nichole laughed. "A week ago, we hated each other. Even when I first became his imprint, he hated me."

"And now?"

"Now...I don't know. It's like we want to hate each other and never see each other again, but there's something inside of us that's forcing us to change our minds."

"Or maybe your hearts are finally overruling your heads." Diana sat on the edge of Nichole's bed. "I can't pretend to know what you're going through, because I've never been in love before, but I do know that the two of you care about each other a lot. And like I said before, it doesn't matter how much I try to convince them otherwise, they're going to come for you, so what we need to do is prepare to help them for when they do come."

Nichole's eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. "Sorry, we?"

"I want to help you if I can. Do you know how hard it's been to do Aro's bidding all of the time, watching as innocent vampires get slaughtered under his rule? I thought about what you told me last night, and you're right, I can't just stand by and watch you get married to Aro. So tonight, when I leave, I'll help the others come up with a plan, I can tell them the schematics of the place so that they can get in more easily. Even with the wolves, it's going to be a hard fight for them, but not an impossible one."

Nichole hugged Diana tightly. "Thank you...thank you so much. If this works, then you should leave with us."

Diana shook her head. "I've been here for so long that I don't know what I would do with myself anywhere else."

"Oh, come on! My family would gladly take you in, with the exception that you go vegetarian of course."

"Vegetarian?"

"Instead of drinking human blood, my family drinks the blood of animals. Not as powerful, but it keeps them satisfied."

"Nichole, I really don't know. I mean, I've been consuming human blood for so long-"

"So did my brother Jasper, but he was able to change. He still has his bad days, but he's getting better. You can do it if you try Diana, I know that you can."

Diana bit her lip. "You're not going to let me say no to this, are you?"

"No way in hell."

"Okay, fine, I'll give it a try. But for right now, you need to prepare to leave at a moment's notice. Once the planning starts, there's no telling when they're going to come."

"What if I need to fight? I don't know if you've noticed, but my skills aren't exactly the best, even by human standards."

"Well, you definitely wouldn't be able to kill a vampire, that's for sure, but you might be able to defend yourself long enough for one of us to come to your aid. I'll teach you some of what I know, but you have to know that I'm going to work you hard."

"I wouldn't expect anything less of you. But it's going to be awful fighting in this damned dress."

Diana laughed at that. "Try fighting in a dress that just barely covers your ass. You'll do a lot better because at least in the dress that you have now, it's looser."

Nichole winced. "He ever makes me wear something that's tight like that, I'm going to hide in my room and never come back out again-"

Diana suddenly held a finger to her lips. "Someone's coming."

Sure enough, Jane entered the room. "Aro has a message for you." She said to Nichole. "Things have changed with the wedding. Instead of having it in a week's time, the wedding is going to be tomorrow night." She left without saying another word, and Nichole looked at Diana with a panicked expression. "Tomorrow?!"

"Calm down, we'll figure something out," Diana assured her. "Look, I'm going to go and find your family, okay? Together, we'll figure something out before the wedding comes."

Nichole could only hope that Diana was right. If things didn't go as planned, then by the next night, she would be married to one of the most sadistic vampires on Earth.