GODS AND MONSTERS ↝ P. LAHOTE

[34]

"There she is!" Leonora's voice rang through the diner as Lark pushed open the glass door, the bell jingling overhead to announce her arrival. "Tell me, Lark, is it too cold outside to have a milkshake with dinner?"

"Hello and Merry Christmas to you, too." Lark said with a skeptical grin, sliding into the open seat in the booth next to Paul, who instantly wrapped an arm around his girlfriend's shoulders. "Honestly, there's no wrong time of year to have a milkshake."

"Told you," Leo said, sticking her tongue out at Jared, who sat next to her.

"All I said was that it might be too cold out for a human to have ice cream." Jared said defensively, putting his hands up in surrender as the rest of the table burst into laughter. "Not that I would know, obviously, I don't feel the cold."

"Well, it's settled, then." Embry said, looking around at the six of them. "Milkshakes for all!"

Lark opened the menu, scanning the items on the list as well as the selection of milkshakes and deciding on a cookies and cream one for the occasion. When the waitress finally came to take their orders, she ordered a burger and fries in addition to the ice cream beverage, passing the young girl her menu along with the others before she retreated back to the kitchens to place their orders with the cook.

"So, how were your Christmases?" Alicia asked, turning back to her friends.

"It was nice." Lark said. "Tristan's home for the next couple weeks, and I haven't seen him since he was home for the summer. We didn't do too much, just exchanged gifts and hung out at home."

"And had a Star Wars marathon?" Paul asked, shooting her a knowing look.

"That's not fair, you came over for breakfast this morning to watch episode four." she said, elbowing him in the ribs as he started to laugh. "Cheater."

"My grandparents came into town to visit for breakfast." Jared said. "Got to re-introduce them to this pretty lady, but actually as my girlfriend this time." he said proudly.

"Cheeseball," Leo said, fighting the smirk that formed at the corners of her mouth.

"After that, we all met up at Charlie's." Leo explained. "Me and Jared, Alli and Embry, along with her parents, my mom, Seth, and Leah, and Jacob, Bella, Edward, Renesmee, Ana, and Emmett."

"How'd it go?" Lark asked.

"A little awkward at first, but we managed." Alicia said. "Charlie and my parents are still on a need-to-know basis about the Cullens, but they knew enough not to ask any questions today, both about Bella and Ana and about how Renesmee grew as quickly as she had."

"Speaking of which." Embry interjected, his voice lowered. "I don't know if any of you noticed, but the snow's sticking."

Lark's heart dropped into her stomach as she nodded. "It didn't stick this morning, but it definitely is now. We're out of time."

"According to Edward, they'll be here this weekend." Jared said. "They've been switching off shifts staying near the town lines, but it's only a matter of time before they're close enough. We wanted to switch with them, but Carlisle didn't want them to catch our scent and realize we were working with them. He thought they might see it as a trap, and attack first without questions."

"He's got a point." Embry pointed out.

"And that's why the three of us will be staying at my house this weekend." Leonora said, eyeing both Lark and Alicia. "The Volturi are less likely to come on the reservation than anywhere else in Forks. The smell of the wolves, for one thing, and they wouldn't want to waste their time coming through enemy territory. But in case one of them wanders off, Anastasia's spending the weekend with us too, just to make sure we're not left defenseless if anything goes wrong."

Their conversation was brought to a halt by the waitress returning with their food and milkshakes, quickly switched to something much more lighthearted as the teenagers began to eat the dinners in front of them. As the Christmas cheer continued in full force, nobody else chose to bring up the impending battle, with the exception of a brief 'see you this weekend' in passing as they said their goodbyes on their way out of the diner.

On her way home, Lark forced herself to think of anything but the Volturi's journey, or how there was potentially only mere hours until they were in her home territory, and judgment would come to rear its ugly head for the Cullen family and their supporters. As she walked in the door and saw Tristan still sitting on the couch watching television, their parents already having retired to their room for the night, she forced a smile back onto her face, not knowing how to even begin if he were to ask her what was troubling her.

"Hey," he said, "how was your dinner?"

"It was fun," she said simply.

Tristan patted the seat next to him on the couch. "Mind if we talk for a bit?"

"Sure," she said, hanging her coat on the rack near the door before taking a seat next to her brother. "What's up?"

"I just feel like we haven't gotten much of a chance to talk, just you and me." he explained. "A lot's happened since we last saw each other, and I wanted to see how you were doing."

"That's an understatement." she said. "But I'm doing really good, Tris."

"You and Paul weren't quite together when I was here last over the summer." he noted, and she smiled softly, eyes flickering down to the ground. "He seems like a good guy."

"Yeah, he is," she assured him. "I mean, he has his moments, as we all do, but he's great."

"I'm really glad he makes you happy." Tristan said. "I don't want to have to kick his ass if he hurts you, because let's face it, he seems like a really tough guy and I don't think I actually could."

Lark chuckled, trying to envision her brother, who stood just short of six feet tall, trying to take on Paul, even if he was still in his human form. Though, thanks to the whole imprinting thing, which she'd never explain to Tristan, she didn't have to worry about that becoming an issue.

"Well, I appreciate that." she said. "On the bright side, I don't think that's something we'll have to worry about."

"Good," he said. "If the worst thing about Paul is that he takes the last slice of pizza without asking anyone else if they want it, then my job as protective older brother is done."