Disclaimer - All recognisable characters belong to their original owners. I do not make a profit from writing this; I simply do it for my own amusement. No copyright infringement intended.
Chapter One
Bella
It had been about three years since vampires came 'out of the coffin'. Since the development of synthetic blood, they had no need to hide anymore – humans were safe, they no longer needed to feed on us. Tru Blood they called it. How it tasted I don't know, and how much vampires like it I had no idea, but I did know this – I wanted to serve a bottle of it to someone. A vampire to be specific. Some humans come in and order it, but it's not the same. They never finish the bottle. I don't think we have a vampire in Forks, or at least not one who visits Black's Bar and Grill - that's the place I work in. Jacob was nice enough to give me the job when I turned eighteen, and for the past five years, I've been working here. Sure, it's not a fancy job, but it pays the bills and allows me as much time with my Grandpa as possible – who is one of the most important people to me in the world. The other being my cousin… and my best friend, Rose.
Rosalie Hale's her full name, and I love her to pieces. Grandpa raised us both after my parents were killed and Rose's abandoned her. They left her because, well to use Grandpa's term, because we're 'special'. He says we've been given a gift that we should cherish and use. Both of us can read minds. It's something that we both hate at times because sometimes all you can hear is people's thoughts – and they aren't always the nicest. We've gotten better at shutting it out though. Rose is able to do it whenever, but I can only do it when I really concentrate. That's one of the reasons I like Forks – there aren't that many people, so I don't have to deal with all the noise in my head. It's better than the larger towns and cities that surround us.
"Are you daydreaming again?" A loud voice interrupts my thoughts. I turn and see Jacob Black looking at me as he dries a glass before putting it under the bar. Jacob has been my best friend since we were five years old. He knows everything there is to know about me – including the mind reading.
"Isn't that what she always does?" Rosalie says as she walks behind the bar and places the tray down that she had. She throws me a cheeky grin, and I smile at her. This was what we did – torment and tease each other.
I shook my head at both of them before I stuck my tongue out. "Just because my thoughts are more interesting than you two, doesn't mean you should get jealous." They both laughed at me before the dinnertime rush began, and we became swamped with orders.
"Bella baby, you want to get me another beer?" Mike asked as he came in with the construction crew he worked with.
"No thanks," I replied, his thoughts flooding my head. I wish she would let me between her legs, I'd show her a good time. Teach her how to suck cock well. The details became more graphic so I took a deep breath, calmed my mind, and put my mental shield up. My own thoughts flooded back into my mind, and I smiled at the peacefulness I got.
"Aw come on sweet cheeks. A cold beer for daddy?" He smiled at me, and I just smiled meekly back before going around the bar to get him his order. "And a couple more for my boys!" he shouted loudly, gesturing to the group of people who now stood around him. They all cheered at the prospect of free alcohol.
"Why do you serve him?" Rosalie asked me as she came up behind me and began to serve the people now crowding around the bar.
"Because he's a paying customer," Jacob said before I could respond.
Rosalie rolled her eyes at him. They had always had a love/hate relationship. He was either defending her from drunk guys trying to get into her pants, or he was making dumb blonde jokes to her face. She often complained about how he smelt like a dog – a joke I never got – or they would be laughing and joking together.
I gave Jacob 'the look' and he just gave me a cheeky grin, the whiteness of his teeth a stark contrast to the white of his skin.
"I serve him because he gives great tips," I told them. "And because he's just joking around." I pulled the lids of the glass bottles and began to put them on a tray.
"Bella, come on, you know as well as I do all the lewd things he wants to do to you," Rosalie said as she slid a glass across to a customer. "You can't deny that his thoughts are creepy and that if he didn't come in here, you wouldn't miss him." She shot me a pointed look and I knew this was an argument I had lost.
Mike was harmless in the bigger scheme of things, and if he didn't walk back into this bar ever again, I know I wouldn't mind. His thoughts were rude and made me feel uncomfortable with the amount of detail he'd put into them. Don't get me wrong, I am by no means a virgin – that train left the station when I was seventeen years old to a boy I thought I was in love with. It was three minutes of awkwardness and made me realize just how unprepared I was for it. I, of course, have had sexual relationships since then, but none that have made me want to scream.
After mulling over my sexual encounters with the various men through the years, I walk over to Mike's table and serve him and his 'crew' some beers before I walk back over the bar and fall into my daydream. This time it's finding out there are more people like me and Rose; that we're not alone and seen as 'freaks' or outcasts.
My thoughts run wild, and I dream up a whole world where life is made easier and we fit in. This is my central thought as I go around the tables taking orders and trying to block out the noise from others people's heads.
I'm drawn out of this though a few hours later by the chime above the door ringing, letting us know a new customer has entered. I turn to look to see who it is, expecting to see one of the regulars. Instead, I am met with a very pale man, with copper hair and green eyes looking around the bar. He sits down in a booth in the corner, and my eyes never leave him. I'm too intrigued. I don't like reading other's minds as it can be seen as an invasion of privacy, but for some reason, I am drawn to his. I focus on his profile and try to link with him, try to create a bridge into which I can hear his every thought.
I don't hear anything. I struggle and look around wondering what's happening before he looks over at me, and I flush bright red at being caught staring. I fumble with my pen and paper and go to take his order.
"Hello sir, what can I get for you?" I ask, willing the redness on my face to disappear.
He smiles up at me and for the first time in my life, I find myself wanting to call a man beautiful. His pale skin is so perfect, there is not one blemish and his eyes are as green as the rainforest. His lips look smooth and soft whilst his jaw looks definitive. I have an urge to kiss it and trace the outline. I bite my lip to try and stop my thoughts, but when he gaze darkens I know I'm done for. His face will be the one I see when I feel lonely and need something to relieve the tension. His hands will be the ones I feel when I daydream about being taken away to a remote island. His eyes will be the ones I see when I close mine.
"Do you sell Tru Blood?" He asks nervously, and I look at him, shocked that this is actually happening.
"Uh, yeah, yeah we do…" There was a pause where neither of us spoke
"Can I have…" he began to ask just as I said, "Do you want…" We both laughed nervously, and I tried to calm my rapidly beating heart.
"Ladies first," he tells me, gesturing towards my body with one hand as the other rubbed his jaw.
"I was just going to ask what type you wanted," I told him as I nervously began to chew on the end of the pen. After a few seconds, I remembered what I was doing and stopped. It's not a very attractive feature to eat your pen when there's a handsome man sat watching you.
"AB positive… Warmed up?" He asked me, phrasing it as a question. I nodded and turned around, trying my best not to trip over my own feet as I went to go and get it from the cooler.
The cooler was round the back of the bar so I rounded the corner and saw Rosalie leant over and getting some bottles out of it. I ran over with a little squeal and gripped her sides hard. I was so excited it was hard to contain!
"What's gotten into you?" she asked as she spun around, and I took hold of her hands, a large smile spreading across my face.
"There's a vampire here!" I said to her in excitement. Giving a few jumps for good measure.
"Seriously?" Rosalie asked as I nodded before she smiled back at me. "He asked for some Tru Blood?" I nodded, and she moved out of the way to allow me access to the cooler.
"Which one is he?" She asked, moving towards the front of the bar. "Maybe I can read his mind?"
"That's the thing," I began. "I tried to read his mind, and I couldn't hear anything." Rosalie looked at me. "Has that ever happened to you?" I asked her, curious to know if she had ever come across anything like this.
"No, never. I mean even babies have thoughts… well… more like images or feelings. I always get something."
I nodded. It was strange, but that doesn't mean it wasn't a welcome relief not to have to work to block someone out. I grabbed the bottle he requested and took the top off. I then brought it up to my nose to smell it – to see if it smelled like real blood. It didn't; in fact, it didn't really smell of anything.
"Did you really just do that?" Rose asked me, a shocked look on her face. I nodded and blushed. She shook her head and laughed as she moved back to the main part of the bar to take people's orders.
I placed the bottle on a tray and took it round to the front of the bar to where the microwave was. I opened the small door and placed it inside, setting the timer for two minutes... I didn't really know how long to warm it for, so two minutes seem the best bet. I spied him sitting by himself, and I felt myself involuntarily smiling. I studied him, tracing his facial features with my eyes.
I probably would have stayed that way if the pinging from the microwave hadn't of drawn me out of my reverie. I gave a small jump and saw Edward's head turn in my direction. I blushed at my actions and turned my back towards him as I went to the microwave to get his Tru Blood. The bottle was warm when I touched it, so I assume it was what he wanted. Placing it on the tray, I walked over to the booth he was sat in and placed the bottle down in front of him.
"Here you go," I told him with a smile, loving the way his eyes lit up.
"Thanks," he told me as he took a sip and nodded, as if to confirm to me it's what he wanted. I smiled and stood there. After a few seconds, he looked back up at me and I smiled.
"Did you want anything else?" He questioned me, and I blushed.
"I don't know," I told him nervously. I wasn't quite sure what I was waiting for. "I've never met someone like you," I admitted and he just smiled.
"Someone like me? As in a vampire?" he questioned and I nodded nervously, worried he might take offence at my fascination.
"What do you want to know?" he asked, a smile still gracing his lips.
"Um, everything!" I told him excitedly as he gestured to the seat across from him in the booth. I smiled and sat down, my heart racing at being so close to a vampire.
"Where shall we start?" he asked and my mind raced with all the different questions I could ask him.
"What's your name?" I had other questions I wanted to ask him, but this seemed the safest.
"Edward. Edward Masen." He told me and I smiled. "What's yours?"
"Isabella. Isabella Swan." I told him in a similar fashion to how he told me his name. "But people usually call me Bella."
He smiled before he tried my name out on his tongue, "Bella." There was a pause. "A beautiful name, for a beautiful person."
I blushed before I asked him, "How old are you?" trying to get his attention off of me.
"Do you mean how old was I when I was turned, or how long have I been on this Earth?"
"Both," I told him as he took a sip from the bottle, my eyes following the long length of his neck as he gulped down the red liquid.
"My body is twenty-five years old; however, I have been on this Earth for one hundred and seventy-six years," he told me as my jaw dropped open at the thought.
"Wow…" I trailed off. "Does that mean you've seen all the changes that have happened?" He nodded his head and my mind began to race over what had changed in my lifetime, let alone what must have changed in his.
"How old are you Isabella?" He asked me. I blushed at the use of my full name. It's something people very rarely called me, usually I was 'B' or 'Bella'.
"Twenty three," I said as he smiled back at me. "I thought I was questioning you?"
"I figured a question for a question is a fair deal." His eyes had a sparkle to them and found myself grinning.
"But I'm not interesting." It was true. There wasn't anything special about me… apart from the mind reading, but he didn't need to know that. "I'm just a girl from a small town."
"Well, I think you're interesting," he told me and my face felt hot as I flushed red. "Besides, I'm from Forks."
"Really?" I asked as he nodded in response to my question. "Why did you come back?"
"When The Great Revelation happened . . . " he began, referring to the title the papers had given to vampires acknowledging their existence ". . . I decided I didn't want to hide from my roots anymore and came back. Before there was a chance people might have recognized me, but now, I think all of the people who would have are dead. And besides, it no longer matters; our existence is no longer a secret." I nodded when he finished his explanation and smiled at him.
There was a silence between us as we both seemed to take each other in. I took in the green or his eyes and the way his hair colour changed slightly depending on what angle I looked at him, but it always held the base copper colour. He was tall, but not so much that he made me feel inferior like Jake. Jake was six foot seven and if I had to guess I say Edward was about six feet four. A good height seeing as I was five eight, the same height as Rosalie.
"Do you eat?" I asked him after the silence became too much for. It made me nervous that I couldn't read his thoughts, and therefore I couldn't read him.
"No, we survive purely off blood."
"Can you survive purely off Tru Blood?" I asked Edward, my eyes darting to the bottle he had in his hands, his long fingers wrapped around it.
"We could if we wanted to, but it would be hard. Drinking synthetic blood is very different to drinking human blood. It satisfies the thirst but doesn't curb our need to hunt. That's why I asked for warm Tru Blood – It's more… realistic." I nodded, grateful that he wasn't too graphic in his explanation.
"Does it taste like real blood?" Edward was quiet for a moment as if he was thinking about his answer.
"No, but it does the job."
"Like sugar-free coke?" I asked as he smiled and laughed. I blushed when I realised I just compared coke to blood and put my reddening face in my hands.
"You could say that," Edward said, happiness evident in his voice.
I kept my head in my hands as I shook my head and felt two cold hands prise them away from my face. I looked into his eyes and saw he was staring intently at me.
"Your hands are really cold," I told him, noticing his eyes never left mine.
"What do you think of me, Isabella?" I heard him ask in a deep voice. It was enchanting.
"You seem like a nice person," I told him as I sat back and broke eye contact with him. When I looked up a few seconds later he was still staring at me, but this time with a confused look on his face.
"Do you feel any different?" He asked me as he slowly released my hands, placing one on the table and using the other one to wrap it around his bottle.
"No," I told him, and he nodded as he sat back in his seat, his eyes surveying me as I suddenly felt uncomfortable under the scrutiny of his gaze.
"I should probably let you get back to work," he told me as his body posture because more rigid and his head turned away from me.
"Y-Yeah okay," I said as I got up and left, feeling hurt by his sudden rejection of me. I walked into the kitchen where I placed my back against the door once it was shut and went over what just happened in my head.
"It wasn't you," Rosalie said as she came out of the freezer with a box full of food.
I just looked at her. "You know I don't like it when you read my mind," I told her and she shrugged her shoulders.
"That's kind of hard not to do when you're practically screaming in your head."
I sighed as Rosalie placed the box down on the counter and came and stood in front of me. "Stop doubting yourself. He's a vampire, he's bound to be a little… strange. Let it go." She gave me a hug before picking the box back up and taking it through to the kitchen where the cook – Tyler – was preparing the meals for the customers.
I shook my head and tried to clear it of the copper-haired supernatural. I didn't need any distractions.
As I went back out to the main part of the bar, I saw the Edward had been joined by two of the regulars that we often get in; Ann and Ken. Both were alcoholic drug dealers who were more than just acquainted with the authorities. Ann had her arm wrapped around him and Ken was smirking at them from across the booth. I didn't like it.
"What are they doing?" I asked Jacob who was playing bartender tonight. He pulled a pint before he looked over at them.
"Probably trying to wrangle some free drinks out of him. Looks like he can afford it," Jake said with a snort, and I just elbowed him.
Something didn't feel right so I opened my mind up and allowed the thoughts to flow in. I concentrated on the two people who were currently all over Edward and narrowed the space between my mind and theirs.
I can't wait to get him outside, God, I bet he's going to taste fantastic Ann's sour voice 'said'. I crinkled my face up – they weren't vampires were they? And besides, since when did people drink the blood of vampires?
I leaned into Ken's mind, hoping it could give me some answers. We're going to drain him dry and get a nice penny from it too. I looked around – I don't know why, but it's a habit I've gotten into. I was confused and worried about Edward. I saw Rose serve some of the college guys that come in here and ran up to her, catching her off guard, when I once again, gripped her sides hard and steered her off to a secluded section of the bar.
"Bella, what are you doing?" She asked. "We're swamped tonight and you haven't been that much help. All you've done is stare at the vampire and talk to him." I blushed. "So, unless this is really important, please, please help me."
"It is important," I told her as I dragged her further into the secluded area of the bar.
"Ann and Ken want to drain Edward."
"Drain him, what do you mean drain him?" I shrugged my shoulders, I didn't know what it meant, but it didn't sound good. "Bella, they're a bunch of drunks. Their thoughts are muddled at the best of times. You've probably got no need to worry." She began to walk away from me and back to the bar where Tyler was placing the food he had just cooked.
I have a bad feeling I whispered into her mind and I saw Rose look at me out of the corner of her eye.
Stop worrying Bella, he's a vampire – he can take care of himself. I nodded and pushed him out of my mind.
I had for the most part been able to forget about Edward for the past few hours, but when he got up to leave with Ann and Ken my heart began to race and a felt a sort of, panic set over me.
They had been the last three patrons in the bar, so we had started to clear up for the night.
Before they left, I watched as Edward turned and caught my eye, before he opened the door and went into the night.
I looked away from the door for a second before I looked back, almost expecting him to be there.
I went behind the bar and began to wipe the surfaces the down, praying that he would be safe. I didn't know him, but there was no need for anyone to harm Edward.
As I mused on vampires and how different Edward seemed to be from the stereotypical view of them, a loud thought permeated my mind - so loud, in fact, it was if someone was shouting directly in my ear.
"I'm going to take the rubbish out!" I hastily called as I grabbed the bag and ran out the front of the bar.
"Okay…" Jake said with a puzzled look crossed his face.
I ran out into the dark night and once the door had shut behind me, I dropped the bag of rubbish and began listening to the thoughts of Ann and Ken. They were slurred and hard to make out like they were drunk but on something more potent.
I heard giggling and ran towards a group of trees that were outside the bar. I hit the low hanging branches out the way as they hit me in the face and my heart sped up for fear that I was too late. I came to a clearing in the middle of the trees and a gasp left my throat. Edward was laid on the floor, chains holding his hands, feet, and neck down. There were tubes coming from both arms and a crimson liquid was running out of them and into several bell jars that were located on the grass beside him. Ann and Ken were also either side of him laughing, their faces stained with the same crimson that was flowing out of the jars.
I desperately began looking around for something that I could use to help Edward. Just as my panic started to reach an all-time high, my foot got caught in something, and when I looked down, I could see a large branch laid on the floor.
"This'll have to do," I muttered, stepping out into the clearing, not quite sure how I can save Edward, but feeling that I have to try.
"Hey! You two!" I shout and watch as Ann and Ken both look at me shocked and angry. "You leave him alone! He doesn't deserve whatever you're doing to him!" I realise my 'warning' didn't come out as strong as I would have liked because my voice is shaking and my hands are sweating, so I have to keep changing my grip on the branch.
"What do you want you stupid bitch?" Ann slurs as she raises herself off of her knees and begins to shakily walk towards me. Ken just laughs maniacally before he falls flat on the floor and begins to murmur to himself.
"I want you to let him go," I tell her, my voice firm, but my heart pounding.
"That ain't going to happen," she tells me as she continues to walk towards me. "You see, we need him – he's like a money tree to us." Ann keeps getting closer so I take a step back.
"Don't come any closer!" I warn her. "I don't want to hurt you, but I will if I have to!" My threat doesn't affect her and she continues to walk forward.
"You're not going to hurt me," Ann says as she kneels back to the floor. "In fact, I'd go as far to say as I'm going to hurt you!" With this she throws something off the ground at me and within seconds, the cold and hard surface of that object has hit me in the side of my face and I fall to the ground as the pain radiates through my head.
I'm aware I made a shriek and hope that we're not too far into the clearing so that Jacob, Rose, and Tyler can still hear me. As I fall to the floor, Ann is back up on her feet in a second and on top of me after that. She straddles my waist and begins to smack my face. At one point she holds my chin with one hand as her other makes a fist and she punches me in the cheek. I cry out again and I hear Ken laugh and when he laughs, Ann begins to laugh as well.
I take a deep breath as I realise if I don't fight back, I'm not getting out of this alive. Using all the strength I have, I force Ann off of me and manage to swap positions, so she's underneath me. Her hands are pushing at me, trying to get me to relent, but I just keep slamming her head into the ground. Eventually, she is weak enough that she stops fighting, and I stand up and look over at Ken. He's on his feet now looking between me and his wife.
"What have you done?" He shouts at me, his eyes continually darting between me and the women on the floor.
My heart is pounding, and before I know it, Ken's charging me. I don't have time to react and his body flies into mine as he pins me to the ground. His fists are stronger than Ann's and he delivers more crushing blows. I begin to see spots in my vision and the metallic taste of blood fills my mouth. I lift my hands to cover my face, but his hands are unrelenting and don't stop. They slice through mine like a knife through warm butter, just injuring me more in the process.
Cries fall from my mouth as I pray for someone to save us, or to at least save Edward, who hasn't made a movement or a sound since I arrived. As my vision becomes blurred, I close my eyes. Blood begins to slide down my face from the numerous cuts I just hope that Rosalie will be alright without me and look after Grandpa.
A loud thwack forces me to open my eyes and I see Rosalie stood above me, wielding a baseball bat in her hands. She's breathing loudly and tendrils of hair have slipped out of her once perfect ponytail.
"You're lucky I fucking love you." Is the only thing she says as she lowers the bat and helps me to my feet. I sway at first, struggling to stop the pain from taking over me. Ken groans from his place on the ground but makes no other noise.
"Could someone help me?" A strained voice asks and Rosalie and I both look towards Edward. There is steam coming from the silver around him as well as blood staining the otherwise perfect metal.
We both run towards him and kneel down.
"What do we do?" Rosalie asks Edward as her hands hover above the chains, unsure how to remove them.
"Take them off me," Edward growls and we both begin gently peeling them away from his skin. He cries but tells us not to stop and as the silver chains come away; it leaves big gashes where they were. I gasp and Edward gives me a small smile. "Silver is one of our weakness, it can render us useless."
Once he's unchained, he takes the needles out of his arms that were supplying the crimson liquid to the bell jars.
"What is it?" I ask as his arms become covered in the crimson liquid.
"My blood," he tells me and Rosalie and I share a look.
"I thought you didn't have any blood inside of you?" Rosalie asked as she nervously bit her lip.
"We have blood," Edward tells us as he groans and props himself up on his elbows.
"Can we do anything to help?" I ask and Edward looks around.
"Can you prop me up against that tree please?" Rosalie and I both nod and drag him carefully to the nearby oak tree.
"Do you need to go to the hospital?" Rosalie asked Edward, noticing he was losing a lot of blood and seemed to be extremely weak.
"No, I should heal by myself."
"You can do that?" I asked and he nodded.
"I don't think it's working," Rosalie whispered and we both looked at her to see her staring at Edward's arm, which was now covered in a deep crimson colour and beginning to drip onto the floor of the forest.
"They drained me of the majority of my blood. It may take a while for me to heal," Rosalie and I exchanged another look.
"Is there anything we can do to speed to process up?" I ask.
"Give me some of your blood," Edward tells Rosalie and I as we both look at each other shocked.
"You want my blood?" I asked nervously as he nods his head.
"No way!" Rosalie shouts. "You are not going to suck her dry. We can find someone else to do it."
"Rosalie," I say her name, causing her to look up at me. "Do you see anybody about? The only other people remotely close to us are Jake and Tyler, and highly doubt that either of them are going to volunteer themselves."
"If you wrap silver around one of your hands you can always push me off if I take too much," Edward told us and Rosalie looked nervously between the both of us.
"How do we know if you have taken too much?"
"She'll pass out," Edward said and I nodded.
Rosalie sat back on her haunches and watched as I wrapped silver around one of my hands and offered Edward my other one. He smiled gratefully and pulled my wrist towards him. He offered me a final smile before his fangs darted out of his gums. A small gasp left my mouth at the sight of the sharp white fangs and a louder one spilled out when he bit into my wrist.
The sharp fangs slid easily through my skin and they were accompanied by a stinging sensation that made me hiss in pain. Rosalie's eyes darted to mine as Edward began to suck the blood out of my wrist. I gasped as he pulled me forward and I placed my hand on the tree behind him to steady myself.
An ache began to form between my legs and my breathing became heavier. My eyes drifted closed and I lost myself in the feeling. It didn't feel bad or strange but instead felt good. The ache increased, and I let my head fall back and I moan came out of my mouth.
Edward lifted his head to look at me, his mouth bloodied and his eyes dark. I stared into the green pools and found myself wanting him to kiss me. He fixed me with the same look as he did in the bar, and after a few seconds, a confused look came across his face.
It was Rosalie's groan of pain that drew us out of the reverie we were both trapped in. My head snapped over to where she was now laid on the floor as Ann kicked her again and again in the stomach. Edward was out from underneath me before I could even say a word and had Ann pinned up against a tree by her throat.
He fixed her with the same look he used on me, and she relaxed underneath his iron grip.
"You will never harm either of these women again," Edward told her with a stern voice. She simply nodded.
"You will get in the truck, drive as far away from here as you can and start a new life, not remembering these women, or what happened here tonight. Do you understand?" She nodded again and a peaceful smile settled on her face as Edward smiled at her.
He gently lowered her to the floor as he continued to stare at her. I got up, seeing as Ann was occupied and helped Rosalie to her feet as she gasped for breath.
"Fucking bitch," she moaned as she clutched her stomach.
At that moment, Ken charged at Edward, but before he even came close Edward had his hand held out to catch Ken by the throat. He never even looks away from Ann as Ken gasped for breath.
"Ann, get in the car, start it up, and when your husband gets in the car, drive."
She nodded at his command and walked past Rosalie and I, just staring right through us as she walked to the car park at Black's. Edward turned his attention to Ken as he hoisted him up in the air, much as he had done to Ann.
Again, he gave Ken the same look he had given to Ann and me. After a few seconds, the anger disappeared from his eyes and his grimace was replaced with a smile.
"You will calm down. You will go with your partner and you will forget these women and me. You will forget what happened tonight and you will start a new life. Do you understand?" Edward tilted his head after he asked the question.
Ken nodded lazily and a smile appeared on Edward's face.
"Good," he told him darkly before he let him drop to the floor. Ken landed in a heap, but he just got up calmly and walked past Rosalie and I. We followed him with our eyes until the trees hid him and we both turned back to look at Edward.
"What the hell was that shit?" Rosalie asked her eyes wide.
"I glamoured them," Edward told us as he walked towards us. "It's where you put them into a form of hypnosis and they become malleable to whatever you say."
He began to stare at the both of us, and for a moment, everything was calm and quiet.
"Are you trying to glamour us?" Rosalie asked indignantly causing Edward to recoil at her tone.
"It's not working…" he murmured as he stared at the both of us again. "Why isn't it working?" he asked, mostly to himself.
"We don't know!"
"Rosalie!" I admonished her.
"What?" She snapped back. "I have been hit in the stomach by an asshole! I hurt, I'm tired and I just want to go to fucking bed!" She let out a sigh as her cheeks turned red.
I opened my mouth to answer her, but Edward turned to us and looked us both from head to toe. "What are you?" he whispered before he sped off into the night.
"No, it's alright. There's nothing you can do to repay us for saving your life. Don't worry about it!" Rosalie rolled her eyes as she began to walk back towards the parking lot at Blacks, muttering something about 'stupid vampires'.
I stayed where I was for a few seconds, trying to comprehend what had just happened before I ran after Rosalie. We were both silent as we walked into the car park.
"Where the hell have you two been?" Jacob asked as he came running towards us. His eyes were darting between us and when I looked down, I realised I was covered in blood and Rosalie had mud over her abdomen where Ken had kicked her.
"We met a vampire!" I told him excitedly as Rosalie looked at me, shocked I had told him.
"And he did that you two?" He gestured to our messy outfits.
"No, the assholes that are Ken and Ann did this," Rosalie told him as she walked over to the truck we shared.
"Well, where are they?" Jacob asked as looked behind us as if he was expecting to see them emerging from the forest.
"They were glamoured," I told him as I began walking towards the truck.
"Glamoured?" Jacob asked, looking as confused as we had felt earlier.
"Think of it as vampire hypnosis," Rosalie said to him as she climbed into the truck.
"Okay," Jake shook his head slowly. "Where's the fanger now?"
"Don't call him that! That's a derogatory term, and he was lovely!"
"Did you just call a vampire 'lovely'?" Jake asked and I nodded.
"Okay; why don't you go home and get some rest," Jacob suggested.
"We will!" Rosalie shouted as she started the engine up and I climbed in. Jake gave us a small wave as we tore out of the parking lot.
"So… that was interesting," Rosalie said as she looked at me out of the corner of her eye.
"Interesting?" I questioned her choice of words and she laughed.
"Okay, so insane might be a better word to use." We giggled.
"Grandpa's gonna love this!" Rosalie said in a sarcastic tone.
"I don't think I'm going to tell him," I told her. I loved my Grandfather to pieces, but he was overprotective when it came to men, and seeing as this guy was a vampire, you can imagine how he'd feel.
"B…" Rosalie paused. "You're gonna have to." I looked at her incredulously.
"Why? Why on earth would I tell Grandpa that we saved a vampire, he then drank from me and I got turned on?" Once the words had left my mouth, I realised what I had said and turned bright red as I looked out the window at the scenery.
"Well, I wouldn't suggest telling him about the blood drinking or the arousal…" She paused and I could see her grinning out of the corner of my eye. "I was thinking you could just tell him that you met a vampire."
"Don't you think he'd freak out a little?" I asked as she pulled up to a set of traffic lights. I began to chew my lip nervously.
"I don't know. I wouldn't have thought so; he's never really shown an opinion of them." The car began to move again and I watched as the trees passed quickly.
"I suppose I could mention it. He might be interested," I reasoned with myself. Talking to Grandpa about this might not be such a big deal…
Yeah… I was wrong. He wasn't pleased that I was hanging around with a 'fanger' – Yes, he used that word.
"Grandpa! It's not a big deal!" I tried to reason with him as he began to load his shotgun. I didn't have the heart to tell him that the shotgun offered no protection against vampires unless he was sporting silver bullets.
"A fanger was near my baby girls! That's a big deal!"
"Grandpa," Rosalie said gently as she took the shotgun from him and lowered it to the table. "We saved him and then he saved us."
Grandpa turned to look at her with wide eyes. "What do you mean he saved you? What trouble did you get into?" He began to look flustered and red in the face, not even bothering to ask if Edward was now alright.
"We got into a bit of trouble with the Rattans. That's all," Rosalie explained as she helped Grandpa into his armchair.
"What did they do?" Grandpa asked. He didn't see us come in last night as he was asleep. We both took showers and Rosalie helped fix me up, pressing an ice pack to my face as she held a bag of peas to her stomach. The bruises that were now covering my face were virtually impossible to see thanks to Rosalie and her amazing makeup techniques. Our clothes had been put in the rubbish as recently Grandpa had begun to do the laundry – the first time in twenty years.
"They just ran their mouths a bit is all" Rosalie assured him as she handed him a cup of tea. He seemed placated for the moment. "It was no bother, and Edward – that's his name – got them sorted." Grandpa gave a 'humph' at Rosalie subtly telling him to stop using the derogatory term.
"As long as he didn't hurt you," Grandpa told us and we smiled.
"He didn't," I told him as I knelt down by the armchair and placed my hand on his knee. "He was the perfect gentleman." Okay, so I told a white lie… who doesn't?
The doorbell rang and Rosalie turned to answer it. It was dark out so I wondered who it was – it could be Mrs Cope – our nearest neighbour, coming to check that we were alright.
Grandpa and I both watched Rose leave before Grandpa placed his hand on mine. "I worry about you girls," I smiled.
"We know." We did. It was so obvious. He had wanted to shoot Jake when I brought him home all those years ago as a little five-year-old. Eventually, he saw that Jake and I were just friends and stopped cleaning the shotgun whenever he came over.
"Bella," Rosalie called from the doorway. I looked up and she had a grin on her face and was bouncing on her toes. "You have a guest." She moved further into the living room where we were seated and behind her, a smartly dressed Edward walked into the room.
"E-Edward." I stuttered as I stood up from Grandpa's side. "What are you doing here?" I walked over to him, looking at Rosalie with wide eyes, begging in my mind for help. The unhelpful madam just shrugged her shoulders.
"I came to thank you for last night," He looked awkwardly at me and Rosalie. "Some people wouldn't have helped. They would have just left me." I nodded my head.
"Well, we're do-gooders!" I told him enthusiastically as Rosalie just stared at me, probably wondering what I was doing.
Grandpa coughed loudly from his armchair and we all turned to look at him.
"You girls are being awfully rude!" He said and Rosalie and I both shared looks. "Rosalie, you've left that front door open creating breeze and Bella, you haven't introduced me to your friend."
"Sorry Grandpa, I'll shut it now," Rosalie said as she headed towards the front door, her eyes locked on Grandpa as if she was expecting him to grow two heads. What the hell was that? She asked me mentally.
I have no idea, I told her back. I thought he'd be hostile.
"Grandpa, this is Edward," I said as I awkwardly led Edward to the armchair.
"It's nice to meet you, sir," Edward said as he shook Grandpa's hand.
"You too son, have a seat," Grandpa said, gesturing towards the loveseat sat opposite the armchair. Edward nodded his thanks before he sat himself down and I followed suit, sitting next to him. Rosalie re-entered and perched on the side of Grandpa's armchair.
"I heard my girls rescued you from a sticky situation yesterday," Grandpa began.
"They did," Edward said with a smile on his face. "I am ever so grateful for their intervention. It could have ended very differently and badly if they didn't come to help me."
"Doesn't it make you feel weak knowing that my two little flowers rescued you?" Rose stared at Grandpa and my jaw dropped open. This conversation was going to go downhill very fast.
"Grandpa!" We both admonished him.
"It's fine, Edward said, gently patting my hand in reassurance. It felt cold and strong and my heart sped up during the brief contact. "Maybe it would make a lesser man feel weak, but I feel grateful."
Rose and I turned our attention to Grandpa. No one had ever answered Grandpa like that – most would say that they were all men, choosing then to demonstrate with a series of muscle flexes. But no, Edward used his words to delicately tell my Grandpa that he didn't feel emasculated whilst also being able to show his intellect.
If Grandpa was fazed then he didn't show it. He simply nodded and sipped his tea whilst staring at Edward.
"Do you believe in fighting Edward?" Grandpa asked him once he had taken a long gulp of tea.
"Well, this is a controversial question. I've been involved in a war," Edward started, but before he could finish my Grandpa's eyes were wide.
"Which war?" Grandpa asked. Rosalie and I both knew where this was going. He was obsessed with the American Civil war and had even begun a club based on it.
"The American Civil war," Edward told him cautiously, probably worried about the response he would get.
"My Great-Grandfather was involved in that war!" Grandpa began excitedly.
"Really?" Edward asked he sat forward, elbows resting on his knees, a look of interest appearing on his face.
"Yes – Rose, be a dear and get my war box out from under the bed," He told her. She dutifully went and got it. I sat watching the whole exchange, a look of confusion plastered across my face as my Grandpa turned from an interrogating menace into a best friend before my eyes.
Rosalie handed Grandpa his box and he sprawled it out on the coffee table, Edward leaning in closer now to get a better look.
"These are some of the projects we're working on at the Civil War Club." Grandpa suddenly looked at Edward, a light bulb metaphorically appearing above his head.
"Would you be willing to come down one evening and talk to the club about your experiences, seeing as you the only person we have who was actually involved?"
"I'd love to!" Edward exclaimed as he and Grandpa became locked into a conversation focusing on the civil war.
After a few minutes, Rosalie gestured for me to leave the room with her and I did so gratefully, my head spinning with all the new developments.
Once in the kitchen Rosalie placed the kettle on and turned to look at me.
"What is going on?" She asked, a bewildered look on her face.
"I have no idea," I told her, glad that she was just as confused as me.
"Just as I was sure Grandpa was just about to declare Edward public enemy number one, suddenly they're best friends!"
"I'm just as confused as you are," I told her, leaning against the counter and peering back into the living room to see that Grandpa had now taken my place on the loveseat and Edward and he were pouring over the old photos and news articles.
Rosalie came and stood next to me. "Looks like Grandpa's found a new friend," She said and she giggled and began to serve a round of tea.
By the time Grandpa and Edward had finished bonding over their love of the civil war, it was well past two in the morning. They organised when Edward would give his speech at the club and Edward thought he even had a few pictures that would help the club with their future projects. To say Grandpa was excited was an understatement.
"Come on you," Rosalie said and she helped Grandpa up the stairs, ready to get him settled for the night. "It's way past your bedtime."
"Sorry mom" Grandpa teased, a twinkle in his eye. "It was nice to meet you, Edward," Grandpa shouted as Rose attempted to herd him up the stairs.
"You too," Edward called.
"Sorry about him," I said to Edward as we walked towards the front door. "He gets really excited when it comes to the civil war."
"It's alright if I can help him I will."
We both stood on the porch for a few minutes, the only sounds coming from nature.
"Do you want to come to dinner with me?" Edward asked after I'd performed a thorough inspection of the floor.
"Really?" I asked; it was foolish but I had to make sure I'd just heard what he said correctly.
"Yes. It would be to thank you for saving my life," Edward began and I tried to curb the disappointment that it wouldn't be anything more. "And maybe a date?"
I looked at him and a smile formed on my face. "I'd like that."
Edward nodded and smiled.
"Wait, what are you going to do while I eat?"
"Watch you."
There was an awkward silence when we both realised that what he had said had been incredibly creepy. Edward looked at me with wide eyes.
"I didn't mean for that to sound as creepy as it did. I just meant that I wouldn't eat obviously and you would…" He trailed off and I let out a little giggle. It was rather sweet seeing him all flustered.
"It's alright. I understood what you meant. Won't that be a little boring for you though?" I wondered and he shook his head.
"Not really. Besides, it will allow me time to get to know you better."
"You want to get to know me better?" I asked, feeling my signature hot blush make its way onto my face.
"I think I'm going to enjoy it," He told me and the blush got worse.
"I'll pick you up at nine then?" I nodded and he smiled.
"Till tomorrow." He gave a little bow and I giggled as he then zoomed off into the night.
I stood outside for a few more minutes, allowing the cool night air to chill my red face. When I walked back in, I leaned against the door, allowing a wide smile to cover my face.
"That looks like a date smile," Rosalie noted as she came down the stairs.
"It might be," I told her, feeling happy, nervous and excited all at the same time.
Rosalie raised her eyebrow at me – she knew I had a date, she could read me like a book.
"Well, whatever has caused that smile, give them my thanks," she said as she walked into the kitchen and got herself a drink.
"Why give them your thanks?" I asked as I began to follow her to her room that was on the ground floor. She took a sip of her water, a smile playing on her lips.
"Because maybe when you've had a good fuck; your thoughts won't be as melancholic as they have been." My jaw dropped open at her brazenness and I felt my blush creep back up, spreading across my chest and my cheeks.
Rosalie giggled at my reaction before she waved her fingers at me, "Sleep well, sweetie." She disappeared into her room.
I shook my head at her antics and headed upstairs to my bedroom.
I went through my usual bedtime routine, brushing my teeth, washing my face, brushing my hair before I finally crawled in between the cool sheets. My back hit the mattress and I felt my whole body begin to relax.
The last thought before I went to sleep was a pair of green eyes staring deeply into mine.
Thank-you for reading.