A/N: So I have to give a big hello to everyone who is a returning reader! I have to admit that I couldn't stay away long so it's really like Evasive Darkness never ended.
For anyone who has just stumbled across this story (Which is the only reason I can think of that anyone would click on it because my blurbs suck!) this is actually a sequel to my first fan fic Evasive Darkness and so I highly recommend that you read that one before you read this one!
Just to give you a quick summary on Evasive Darkness Leighton Summers goes to sleep and wakes up in Forks at the start of Twilight and she becomes entangled in the books as everything that she does effects the ending.... See I told you I was very bad at those! So maybe you should just go and check it out!
Well... I hope you all enjoy this one as much as you liked the first! Your reviews were all so encouraging and they would be much appreciated again!
-Lorrae xxx
Chapter One – PartyI blinked a few times as my cream on cream bedroom came into focus and I let myself lie in my ridiculously comfortable bed a few moments while I gathered all my thoughts. Despite what many people would think if they awoke to this perfectly realistic room I knew that I was, in fact, dreaming. The over-cast day and beautiful ever-green trees did not belong to my home in Hudson, Texas but to Forks, Washington. I had been visiting Forks every night in my sleep for over seven months. It had been happening for so long that I no longer thought it strange. I didn't even find it strange that I was also placed right in the middle of Stephanie Meyer's "Twilight" series right along side the vampires and werewolves. It seemed apparent to me that people could adapt to nearly anything as I had not only adapted to being in a fiction novel but over the months I had grown to love all the characters. It was a love that didn't feel any different to how I loved people in my waking hours.
I dragged myself out of the warm blankets and shivered at the cold air. It was September now and summer was officially well and truly over. Unfortunately it was the coldest and rainiest summer I had ever experienced, but it was made more bearable because of my boyfriend.
I felt a smile pull over my lips as I reached the landing of the stairs and I could see Jacob Black sprawled out on the lounge, still snoring. Lately, he had grown another couple of inches and his legs and arms hung off our small lounge.
Anyone who has read the Twilight series would know that this was because he was part of the Quillet tribe – who phased into wolves to protect their tribe from the nearby vampire clan. This had not yet happened to Jacob yet, but I knew from his rapid growth and quickly expanding muscles that it wouldn't be long. When I wasn't actually with Jacob – he made it very hard to worry – I spent my time worrying about how I was going to tell him that I knew about him being a werewolf. I had been hoping that maybe Jacob would just tell me and in which case I could hide the fact that I had known all along. I didn't particularly want to hide things from Jacob. I felt particularly guilty about it even. But I did want to hide the fact that I didn't just know what he was, I also know everything about his immediate future. I couldn't help but feel that it would be an awkward conversation to have.
I grabbed the keys to my purple Volkswagen Beetle and gave my mum a kiss. I didn't want to wake up Jacob since I was leaving early today. I grabbed the small box wrapped in silver paper that I had left on the bench and hurried out to my car.
Today wasn't any usual day in September. It was September 13th – Bella Swan's birthday. As I had promised her father Charlie, the chief of police here in Forks, I would arrive at their house early with my present and I would try my best to get her to stop fretting about being 18. I knew that this was an impossible task, but I promised Charlie that in my duties of being a best friend I would try my hardest. Bella and I had grown inseparable since I confessed to her that I knew everything about Edward and his family. I still laughed at the look of shock on her delicate features and for weeks afterwards she still wouldn't talk out loud about Edward being a vampire.
"Sorry," she would mumble to me when I pointed this out to her. "Old habits die hard."
Eventually I managed to extract from her what happened in Phoenix with James – a tracker vampire who was intent of killing Bella. Edward had trouble containing his anger enough to talk about it and Bella didn't seem too eager to relive the experience. Eventually Emmett told me how James had set a trap for Bella by calling and pretending to be her mum. Unfortunately for him Edward was already with her and they met James in a ballet studio and killed him. Bella was never near enough to him to get hurt.
I had breathed a sigh of relief at this. I had stopped James' mate Victoria, I shuddered at the thought of her, from getting Bella's address and although I had only stopped her from getting it to James for a few hours it made all the difference. Bella was perfectly safe and Edward seemed to think this made him forever in my debt.
I pulled up outside the Swan residence and let myself inside. Charlie was sitting at the kitchen table reading the newspaper and he smiled warmly when he saw me.
"Good morning Leighton," he greeted me cheerfully and too loudly as he glanced towards the stairs. I took a seat across from him and I placed my small present next to the small pile of presents from Charlie and Renee.
"Is she not awake yet?" I asked him and he chuckled but shook his head.
"I am too," said Bella walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. She was wearing her usual jeans and a dark blue sweater but this morning she was looking particularly unhappy. Along with her boots she was wearing a deep frown.
"Happy Birthday Bells," said Charlie as he handed her a small package. "This one's from me," he smiled proudly.
"Thanks dad," said Bella with her best attempt at enthusiasm.
I opened my mouth to wish her happy birthday but she scowled at me quietly. She had repeatedly told me that she didn't want her birthday celebrated. If anything she wanted me to commiserate it with her. She was now 18 and Edward would never be. I tried to tell her that age shouldn't be a problem, after all Jacob was two years younger than me. But she always shrugged it off.
"You two are different," she would tell me. "Jacob is getting older too," Sometimes I felt like correcting her but it felt like an uphill battle.
Bella seemed impressed with the camera Charlie had brought her and she thanked him genuinely Renee had brought her a scrapbooking with a small note that said "To document your senior year".
I had brought Bella a thin silver bangle with a small inscription of Happy Birthday. She smiled at me appreciatively and slid it on to her small wrist. I knew that she would have loved it if she wasn't so tormented by the fact that she was getting older.
As soon as we were out of the house Bella launched into telling me about the nightmare she had just had about her being old and Edward was still young. I could tell by the way she shivered slightly that it had really disturbed her. I tried to lighten her mood.
"But think of it this way," I smiled, "Edward practically and eighty year old man," I laughed and gave her a playful shove that wouldn't have knocked over a toddler but Bella being Bella fell forward and landed on her hands and knees.
"I'm so sorry!" I exclaimed. I was far to used to being around Jacob who was getting stronger every day.
"Don't worry about it," laughed Bella who picked herself up of the ground and dusted herself off.
"No celebrating my birthday," Bella reminded me as we pulled into the car park at school. As soon as her eyes fell upon Alice and Edward her scowl was replaced with a serene look. If I asked her where she was she probably wouldn't be able to answer me.
She began frowning almost instantly as she spotted the small silver present in Alice's hands.
"No one listens to me," she muttered darkly as we walked over to meet them. For those of us in the know there was no mistaking the Cullens for what they really were. Their pale skin and ethereal beauty gave them away for what they really were; vampires. But their golden eyes told a different story. The Cullens were different to other vampires because they chose to drink animal blood instead of human blood. They were vegetarians, they joked.
Alice bolted forward to greet us. Her tawny eyes were brilliant with excitement and her pixie face was glowing under her spiky black hair.
"Happy Birthday Bella!"
"Shhh," Bella hissed as she glanced around the parking lot to make sure no one was listening.
Alice ignored her, "Do you want to open your present now or later?" she asked as we made our way over to where Edward stood.
"No presents," Bella mumbled.
"Okay... later, then. Did you like scrap book your mum sent you? And the camera from Charlie?"
Bella sighed. "Yeah they're great."
It wasn't strange for Alice to know what Bella's parents had brought her. She had a special gift of being able to see the future. She thought it was something similar to what I had; maybe even that she was like me when she was human. I hadn't quite managed to tell them all that they were fictional characters and I was instead using the cover that I dreamt about them before I moved here.
When we reached Edward he reached out and Bella slid her hand into his. It made me wish that Jacob was here. Unfortunately Jacob wasn't ever around when Edward was. Although Jacob didn't know it yet the Quillets and the vampires were sworn enemies. Edward didn't even know that the werewolves were still around but he still seemed to resent Jacob even though I begged him to be friendly and Jacob always felt uncomfortable around Edward so they both avoided each other at all costs. It made double dates impossible and frustrated Bella and me even though I tried to understand that some things must run deeper than logical reasoning.
Alice and I walked slightly ahead of Bella and Edward as we made our way towards class. We both sighed as Bella continued her rant on getting older.
"What time will you be at the house?" asked Alice, changing that subject. I tried not to grin as Bella looked confused.
"I didn't know I had plans to be there."
"Oh, be fair, Bella!" she complained. "You aren't going to ruin all our fun like that, are you?"
"I thought my birthday was about what I want."
"I'll get her from Charlie's right after school," Edward told her, ignoring Bella altogether.
"I have to work," She protested.
"You don't, actually," Alice told me smugly. "I already spoke to Mrs. Newton about it. She's trading
your shifts. She said to tell you 'Happy Birthday.'"
"I—I still can't come over," Bella stammered, scrambling for an excuse. "I, well, I haven't watched Romeo and Juliet yet for English."
Alice snorted. "You have Romeo and Juliet memorized."
"But Mr. Berty said we needed to see it performed to fully appreciate it—that's how Shakespeare intended it to be presented."
Edward rolled his eyes.
"You've already seen the movie," Alice accused.
"But not the nineteen-sixties version. Mr. Berty said it was the best."
Finally, Alice lost the smug smile and glared at her.
"This can be easy, or this can be hard, Bella, but one way or the other—"
Edward interrupted her threat. "Relax, Alice. If Bella wants to watch a movie, then she can. It's her birthday."
"So there," Bella added, like a small child.
"I'll bring her over around seven," he continued. "That will give you more time to set up."
Alice's laughter chimed again. "Sounds good. See you tonight, Bella! It'll be fun, you'll see." She grinned—the wide smile exposed all her perfect, glistening teeth—then pecked Bella on the cheek and danced off toward her first class before Bella could argue.
The whole way to class Alice chattered none stop about Bella's party. She meticulously listed the decorations and music and asked me my opinion on the flavour of cake. I began to feel apprehensive as I thought about broaching the subject of the party. I knew what happened there. Bella paper cuts her hand and Jasper is unable to control himself. It is the beginning of the end.
Edward leaves Bella and she begins to spend her time with Jacob at La Push. My stomach turned at the thought. I knew that I was being unquestionably selfish with what I was about to do, even if I reasoned it to myself with idea like "Bella doesn't get hurt," or "Jacob won't get hurt." When it boiled down to it I knew that it would kill me if Jacob fell for Bella. It was going to be hard enough when he imprinted.
"Um Alice," I started hesitantly. Recognising my tone, she stopped and looked at me seriously.
"What is it?" she asked frantically. "Is it the party? Is it too much? Does she hate me for it?"
"No it's not that," I said slowly. I could feel the impending doom pressing down on me. If I stopped this it would change everything. I would no longer know anything that may happen in the future. This would change it irrevocably. "Bella paper cuts her finger tonight on the wrapping paper," I told her and only a vampire could understand the seriousness of this. Alice's eyes widened in horror.
"Who?" she whispered.
"Jasper," I told her sadly and she nodded as if she already knew who it would be. Jasper was the newest vampire to the 'vegetarian' lifestyle and he struggled the most with it.
"I have to go," she told me solemnly, and I nodded. "Will you help me set up tonight though? I'll see you at our house at 5?" She smiled at me reassuringly but I couldn't fight the feeling that I had done the wrong thing. "Is Jacob coming?" she asked as I was walking away. I smiled. Alice was the most accommodative with Jacob.
"No. He had some things to do," I told her regretfully and I walked in a daze to my first class.
After school I dropped Edward and Bella at her house before continuing on to my house. Bella had questioned me briefly about where Alice had escaped to but I blew it off with a weak excuse about more party planning. Edward had raised an eyebrow at this while Bella groaned. I concentrated on keeping my thoughts on driving.
At home I spent my time nervously pacing from the kitchen to the lounge room. I tried to find something to eat but the kitchen was poorly stocked and there was nothing on TV to distract me from mulling over what I had just done. In the end I settled for lying on the couch and inhaling Jacob's sweet scent that still clung to the pillows. It instantly made me feel more comfortable. I knew I wasn't quite ready to let that go just yet.
At five o'clock I reluctantly made my way to the Cullen's house. The route was surprisingly familiar to me now. I visited the Cullens at least once a week and they didn't seem to mind having another human hanging around. Even Rosalie was kinder to me then she was to Bella. Though this only came after I insisted to her that I had no plans to not be human.
When I arrived at the Cullens house, though it would be more accurately described as a mansion, Alice danced out to greet me.
"Leighton!" she greeted, in her voice that sounded like wind chimes. "Come and look at this!"
She pulled me out of my beetle and led me inside the house. There were big bowels of pink roses that lined the stairs up to the front door. I gasped as I entered the large white living room. Alice had covered the whole room in white candles and crystal bowls filled with pink roses.
"This is beautiful Alice" I complimented as I smelt one of the roses. Its rich fragrance was over whelming. "But Bella will hate you for it,"
Alice smiled slyly. "I know," she chirped.
Emmett was sitting on the lounge flicking through the channels at inhuman speed. He was supposed to be in Africa with Rosalie and I smiled widely at seeing him. His booming laugh always managed to release any tension I had.
"Leighton!" he smiled excitedly when he saw me. "I was wondering if we invited the freak."
Emmett seemed to get the most pleasure out of my 'special ability' and he constantly reminded me of it.
I grinned at him, "Birds of a feather flock together," I whispered but with his extreme hearing he heard everything I said. He chucked joyfully.
Rosalie appeared at the base of the stairs. She was as breathtakingly beautiful as ever. She gave me the smallest smile before disappearing back up the stairs.
Esme and Carlisle appeared from the kitchen – as young and lovely as ever – with their arms wrapped around each other. Esme gave me a careful embrace while Carlisle patted my shoulders encouragingly.
"Thank you for warning us," Carlisle whispered as he motioned towards a small stack of presents that were piled on a table next to Edward's piano. They were wrapped in soft pink tissue paper. I smiled grimly. It didn't slip past my notice that Jasper wasn't anywhere to be seen.
"It's just a precaution," whispered Esme as she squeezed my hand comfortingly.
As there wasn't anything that I could do to help set up I took a seat next to Emmett who instantly launched into a conversation about the hunting opportunities in Africa. I chuckled when it was due but my mind was elsewhere. I felt overwhelmingly guilty about what I had done.
In a short while Alice's eyes glazed over into a blank expression and she whispered hurriedly, "They're coming!"
We all formed a small group near the door and waiting in anticipation for Bella to arrive. We could hear her truck pull up and Emmett laughed.
When Bella arrived, her face dismayed at the sheer amount of decorations, we all chorused "Happy Birthday Bella!" as instructed by Alice. Bella smiled weakly until her eyes fell onto the small stack of presents.
Esme and Carlisle were closet and they greeted Bella first.
""Sorry about this, Bella," he stage-whispered. "We couldn't rein Alice in."
Rosalie and Emmett stood behind them. Rosalie didn't smile, but at least she didn't glare. Emmett's face was stretched into a huge grin.
"You haven't changed at all," Emmett said with mock disappointment. "I expected a perceptible difference, but here you are, red-faced just like always."
"Thanks a lot, Emmett," Bella said, blushing deeper.
He laughed, "I have to step out for a second"—he paused to wink conspicuously at Alice—"Don't do anything funny while I'm gone."
"I'll try."
Alice skipped forward next and Bella's eyes widened in confusion. I knew that she was looking for Jasper who barely ever left Alice's side.
"Time for presents," Alice declared and she skipped towards the table with the pink packages.
I used the moment to approach Bella who scowled at me half heartedly. She was expected me to be on her side in all of this.
"Happy Birthday," I offered to her and she growled at me as I hugged her warmly.
"Alice, I know I told you I didn't want anything—" Bella objected as Alice pulled the camera out o her hands and replaced it with a large pink box.
"But I didn't listen," she interrupted, smug. "Open it."
Bella pulled the paper off the box and I heard Alice breath in relief. Of course it was a radio for her truck but Bella looked at the box confused. She then opened it and looked more confused when it was empty.
"Um...Thanks,"
I laughed and Rosalie even cracked a smile.
"It's a stereo for your car," explained Alice, "Emmett is installing it right now so that you can't return it."
"Thanks, Rosalie" she paused as she read the card. "Jasper? Where is Jasper?"
Alice didn't skip a beat. "He apologised that he couldn't be here but he had to go hunting."
Bella nodded acceptingly but Edward narrowed his eyes.
"Thanks Emmett," said Bella, louder now and Emmett's booming laughter came from her truck.
"Open mine and Edward's next," Alice said, so excited her voice was a high-pitched trill. She held a small, flat square in her hand.
Bella glared at Edward.
"I didn't spend a dime," he assured her and she stubbornly held out her hand for the gift. I found myself holding my breath but she opened the gift without incident.
Bella threw her arms around Edward when she opened his CD and Emmett groaned loudly and whispered, "Get a room." She became increasingly excited when she opened the plane tickets from Esme and Carlisle.
After the present opening ordeal was over I managed to settle down – and even enjoy myself. Bella cut the cake while we sang her happy birthday. I chose to merely mime it instead of ruining the Cullen's perfect chorus. Bella and I ate the delicious cake and then we spent the rest of the night laughing and snapping pictures on Bella's camera.
Edward finally decided it was time for Bella and I to go home when Emmett posed for a picture with me, baring his fangs to my throat and pretending to suck my blood. Bella laughed hysterically as she snapped the picture but Edward growled at him disapprovingly. I drove home behind Bella's truck but as I left the warmth of the Cullen's house the guilt began to set back in.
What have you done? I thought to myself as I curled into bed and got ready to wake up.