A/N: Okay, I caved and started a sequel. But this plotline is going to be worth it. Those who have a strong dislike for the Cullens may not enjoy it, but if you like adventure, thrilling suspense and romance between our favorite werewolf and his Miss Swan, then read on, if you dare.
Oh, and …Happy Halloween…
VVVVVVVVVVVV
The Vulkodlak Letters
A series of highly-secret letters between the Cullen family and Jacob Black and Bella Swan
In the style of
Dracula
From: Edward Cullen, Esquire
Barcelona, Spain
To: Mr. Jacob Black
La Push, Washington
July 1st, 2006
Jacob,
I know this letter is ridiculously overdue. I know that I promised to write at least before the 10th of June and I didn't. But I hope you'll forgive me. Finding time to sit down and put pen to paper is proving difficult. And no, I cannot simply type you an email. It is amazing to me how unplugged we are right now. Emmett was in charge of getting satellite phones, but somehow it slipped his mind (I literally listened as it went in one ear and out the other) and so we have to rely on old fashioned communication. That's all right with me. I have always preferred handwriting as opposed to typed words.
Spain is beautiful. Very hot. And unfortunately, sunny most of the time. We have to walk around with shirts that come up to our throats, long sleeves and large hats, and dodge into cathedrals or museums as we make our way from one side of the city to the other. No wonder no one will talk to us. We doubtlessly remind them of zombies, or medieval witch-hunters, or… I'll leave the playful, obvious insult to you. Luckily, Spaniards don't declare the day done until about midnight, and so we are able to get out in the evenings to see the city. The buildings are breathtaking—many of them older than Carlisle. You really must take Bella someday.
Speaking of which, how is Bella? I would imagine that she is steeped up to her ears in wedding preparations. When is the date, again? I want to be certain. We have a special gift for you, and I am going to take unique pleasure in springing it on you and then disappearing. No, I'll not give you any hints. But we have sent you two silver candlesticks for the bridal table at your rehearsal dinner. Please let me know when you get them in the mail—I would hate for them to be lost.
We are traveling to Austria within the week. I have enclosed our new address. Emmett and Jasper cannot wait to explore the mountains there. Personally, I am looking forward to wandering around Salzburg, and going to Mozart's house. Write when you can—and of course, we would love to hear from Bella, if she can spare the time.
Your friend always,
Edward
From: Jacob Black
La Push, Washington
Edward Cullen, Esquire
Salzburg, Austria
July 7th, 2006
Edward,
You're not getting off the hook that easily. We waited around for a whole month and didn't hear from you—Bella was convinced your plane had gone down in the Atlantic. (I assume that would have been bad, even for you…You'd probably sink like a rock.) And I don't care if you sent us silver candlesticks. Well, okay, I do. Bella says they're gorgeous and she loves them. She wants to know where exactly you got them. (But that's the only silver you're allowed to send. No silver swords, walking sticks…bullets…Don't you know who you're dealing with, here? Are you trying to make me ill or something? Joking…)
Glad you had fun in Spain. And yeah, I would like to go there someday when Bells and I are married. Maybe if you guys ever settle someplace we can come stay with you. We'll just move in for a month, and give Alice a chance to cook again. Haha. How's Austria? I assume covering up your sparkly selves is more acceptable there? Send us a postcard—or better yet, take some pictures and ship them on over. I'd like to see the mountains, too.
Bella's doing good. Her mom is planning on flying up here next month to help with the wedding stuff. Bella's excited to see her. I'm trying to be optimistic, but her mom…she hasn't really pulled through for Bells very often. I hope she doesn't back out. I mean, she shouldn't—it's her only kid, and she should help out, but…
Really, thanks for the candlesticks. They'll look great. I'm going to kidnap Bells now—she's been writing wedding invites all day—and I'm taking her to a movie. We're going to see the second "Pirates of the Caribbean." Haha—you have to watch it dubbed in German.
I'll tell Bella to write to you. But only if you promise to write more than once a decade, okay?
Jacob
From: Bella Swan
Forks, Washington
To: Edward Cullen, Esquire
Salzburg, Austria
July 8th, 2006
Dear Edward,
It was so good to hear from you! I was sure you'd drowned. In fact, I had a terrifying nightmare that your plane crashed in the ocean. I had to go straight to Jacob's house the next morning to make sure he hadn't heard about any wrecks. Don't do that to me. I have too vivid of an imagination.
Oh, another thing: do not tell Jacob I said this, but when he got your letter, he grinned like a kid and went to read it straightaway. So even if he gives you a hard time, know that he truly misses you. So do I. We miss all of you. Jacob had a lot of fun with you and Jasper and Emmett, and I miss girl time with Alice. Oh, if you think of it, tell them we would love to hear from them, too.
I cannot get over the candlesticks. They are just beautiful. Where did you get them? They must have cost a fortune! I feel spoiled.
The date for the wedding is October 18th. Jacob just told me he forgot to include that in his letter, and his is already sealed up. You are coming, aren't you? We expect you. Your family makes up half of the guest list. Ha. Besides that, I want my mother to meet all of you.
Please send pictures of the places you've been. I want to see the cathedrals you talked about, and especially the mountains.
I miss you terribly, Edward. But the very fact that you're absent is a constant reminder of what an excellent friend you are, and what you've given up for Jacob and me, and the rest of the pack. I'll never stop thanking you for that.
Please write soon. Hearing from you makes our week.
Love,
Bella
From: Edward Cullen, Esquire
Saltsburg, Austria
To: Bella Swan
Forks, Washington
July 14th
Dear Bella,
It was equally good to get your letter. I was afraid you would be up to your ears in wedding invitations and would be too sick of pen and paper to write to your poor, lonesome friends. I enclosed the pictures you requested, and I wrote the identities of the buildings and people on the backs. Alice was very eager to get all of us into as many pictures as possible. We've never had a reason to take pictures before, and we are having quite a bit of fun coming up with poses. Jacob will doubtlessly roll his eyes at us—Emmett, Jasper and I frustrated Alice by making faces sometimes, but Esme thought they were so funny she insisted we send those pictures to you.
We got the candlesticks in a tiny little shop in Barcelona—I think it's been there for two-hundred years. The candlesticks were handmade, and Esme picked them out. I was sure to tell her that you liked them.
We will make every effort to get to your wedding—I assure you. There is no event this century that has a higher priority for us. Also, please do not be so concerned for us on our travels! We are quite bulletproof, I promise. You ought to remember that. If you have any more frightening nightmares, just think of me crossing my arms over my chest and laughing, for that is what I do when you worry about us so.
We are moving soon—I gave Jacob our new address. Write us whenever you find the time.
Immortally yours,
Edward
From: Edward Cullen, Esquire
Saltsburg, Austria
To: Jacob Black
La Push, Washington
July 14th
Jacob,
I have the time to write one long letter or two short ones, so I opted to write you a short one, and Bella a short one. Great Heaven, man, please work on your handwriting. If I didn't have more than a hundred years of practice under my belt, I should have found your letter unintelligible. Bella's writing is much nicer. Perhaps she could give you lessons.
I could hear you laughing all the way across the Atlantic—we did have to watch "Pirates of the Caribbean" dubbed in German…but all of us understand German. So there. I have to confess, however, that Johnny Depp was not quite as amusing. Or he was more so—I am still deciding.
As to your coming someday to visit, Carlisle definitely agrees. We do, however, also agree that you ought not stay in our home for an entire month. You might have to start your work all over, if you know what I mean. How is that coming, by the way?
I truly hope that Bella's mother does come and is helpful. Bella deserves a beautiful wedding, without heartache.
I believe I like Saltsburg even more than Barcelona. We have spent a lot of time up in the mountains—you have never seen such mountains!—and we visited the house of the family Von Trapp. We will be traveling to Romania within the week. Which brings me to the important thing I wanted to tell you:
Do not tell Bella—she will only worry, I think, as evidenced by her fear that our plane had gone down. But Carlisle and I…we are searching for our roots. I already found the roots of my former life—English, Norman, et cetera. But now I am searching for the roots that Carlisle and I share: that which makes us what we are. We are in the heart of such country, if the stories are to be believed. Which is what we determine to find out. We wish to explore the famous castles, and do research in the deep, dark corners of Transylvania, Romania and Serbia, for the true origins of our kind, what made them what they are, and why. No one else in my family, besides Carlisle, knows what we are truly up to. Alice may have some foggy premonitions, but since we have not begun anything decisive yet, she is in the dark. I tell you because…you are my best friend, and I wish you to know. I have enclosed our new Romanian address—please write when you can.
Your friend always,
Edward
TBC