I do not own the characters, and no copyright infringement is intended. Stephenie Myer and the amazing Twilight franchise own them - I just enjoy writing amateur fiction using these amazing characters.
A/N: TA is a chain of truck stops in the United States. Some of the CB lingo carries mature meaning and, in later chapters this story does contain lemons. Hence, it is rated M.
-------------------------------------
Preface
The Cullens live in individual family homes. Carlisle and Esme own a large home on the outskirts of Malibu. He is a doctor at a local hospital and she is an author.
Emmett and Rosalie own an upscale home in West Hollywood. He is a stunt man and she a wardrobe director for a major studio.
Jasper and Alice own a lavish home in Beverly Hills. Jasper is a screenwriter and Alice is a notable fashion designer.
Edward owns a penthouse just off of Wilshire Boulevard but he isn't home much since he took a job as a long haul truck driver.
Bella is a seventeen year old runaway, hitchhiking across the country.
--------------------------------------
EPOV
Being a vampire and never needing to sleep is a definite advantage when you drive one of these rigs. Had you asked me even a decade ago if I would ever drive a truck for a living, I'd have laughed at such a preposterous idea but here I am, answering the latest message on my QualComm, the infernal, beeping keyboard attached to a small satellite dish that receives text messages from and sends them to my dispatcher.
I own my truck, a jet black Peterbilt with a twilight blue interior and plenty of chrome and lights on the outside, a true 'rooster cruiser, large car, chicken truck, rolling Christmas tree. Even sitting behind the wheel all day and well into the night, I never tire of the rumble of my 550 horse power Cummins engine and the thunderous tremble of the Jake brake releasing compression through my straight pipes, unmufflered exhaust pipes to the uninitiated.
'PU PNG STL 05:00 1-20-08. DEL WLMT BLWD 18:00 1-25-08.' the screen read. Good grief, a slow moving load, Saint Louis, Missouri to Bellwood, Pennsylvania and five entire days to drive eleven hours. I could legally drive that in one day and would need to waste the other four somehow.
"Breaker one nine?" I asked over my CB radio as I guided my rig onto Interstate seventy eastbound. "Hey Westbound, where'd you leave all the bears?"
"You got one at the ninety three and a full grown she bear working hard at the coops today." A gritty voice replied over the speaker.
"Ten four." I replied before turning my CB off and turning on the XM radio.
I use the CB to get the information I need but I refuse to listen to that infernal thing any more than necessary. Truck drivers seem unwilling to censure their thoughts through their speech when they talk on the radio; it's bad enough I have to hear every one of them in my head, I do not need them in my ears as well. Lot lizards, seat covers and naked co drivers are not things I care to know any more about than I know about the private activities of my family.
This is going to be a very boring trip, I need a distraction. I went hunting early this morning so I won't need to take any side trips between Saint Louis and Bellwood. I dropped my empty trailer in the drop lot then picked up my Bellwood load and headed back to the freeway. Three hours into my trip I decided it was cloudy and a run would feel good so, I pulled into an out of the way truck stop, locked my Pete and jogged into the woods until I was far enough away from humans to run for a few miles.
Running through the Indian scrubs, trees and fields was refreshing. I debated killing the large, corn fed buck I startled but decided he deserved to live one more year since I really wasn't thirsty and didn't want to slow my pace to hunt. Two hours later, I returned to my truck and turned my CB on out of boredom and to see if anyone was selling any useful electronics or freight overages.
"Are there any eastbound drivers out there willing to give a lady a ride?" a gravely male voice crackled over the radio. "She's trying to get to her family in Altoona, Pennsylvania." the man finished.
Altoona was only a few miles out of my route and I had plenty of time for the side trip. I picked up the mic and pressed the talk button. "I'll take the lady to Altoona, I'm headed for Bellwood anyway."
"Where you at driver?" the gravely voice responded.
"Back row, three from the south, black Pete." I replied.
"She's got brown hair and a blue duffle bag. She's on her way to you. Thanks driver." The gravely voice ended the conversation.
I waited a few minutes the, I saw her carefully making her way toward my truck. She had long brown hair and rich chocolate eyes and looked quite young to be hitchhiking. I looked young to be a truck driver but, I had a good reason, technically I was seventeen and had been for over eighty years. When she was close enough, I climbed down out of my truck and opened the passenger door for her. I helped her lift her duffle bag into my truck then climbed in to the driver's seat and tossed her bag into the sleeper. She scrambled into my passenger's seat, a seat no one had ever sat in before and, now I had a beautiful lady in my truck.
"Fasten your seatbelt and, if you smoke, not in my truck please." I instructed my passenger.
"I don't smoke." she informed me.
"I'm Edward. What's your name?"
"Bella and thanks for the ride."
"No problem, I'm an owner operator and pay my own insurance on the old girl so, riders aren't a problem." I informed her, hoping she would relax a little. "So you're going to your family in Altoona?"
"Actually no, I 'm going away from my family, anywhere as long as it isn't Seattle." Bella admitted.
I struggled to control my bloodlust. Her scent was the sweetest I had ever encountered and, I had foolishly agreed to take her to Altoona. Now she didn't have a destination at all, she seemed to have figured out that truckers would give her a ride and feed her and was, apparently, using our loneliness and willingness to accept a female companion to survive. I couldn't simply put her out at the next truck stop so, I had to control myself for at least three more days with her. I knew it wouldn't be easy but, I was determined that she would not know I was anything but human and I did appreciate her company.
"Then you won't mind a slow trip to Pennsylvania, I don't have to be there until Friday."
"No, I won't mind." Bella replied.
"How old are you Bella?" I asked, hoping she was eighteen, otherwise I was risking kidnapping charges if anyone found her in my truck.
"Seventeen but pleas don't turn me I, I can't go home. Please?" she pleaded, nearly crying.
So I was risking kidnapping charges, of course I could simply use my Cullen ID that said I was seventeen but, then that would leave me facing charges of stealing my own truck and countless driving offences. I had to find out why I was risking prison time, if her reason wasn't valid, I'd drop her off at the next weigh station.
"Why did you run away?" I asked calmly.
"Because my parents were killed in a car accident, the judge emancipated me but, I couldn't afford to keep the house. I stayed in the homeless shelter for a few weeks, that's where this guy tried to kill me and I ran. For some reason, he didn't chase me too far and I got away from him even though he was a…" she trailed off.
"He was what?" I asked, dreading some of the possibilities in the Seattle area.
"Nothing, you wouldn't believe me anyway." Bella answered.
"Try me, I might. I used to live in Forks years ago and, if I recall correctly, there was a shelter there." I encouraged her.
"I'm not even sure, but when I ran from the shelter, he chased me into the woods. I came to this huge white mansion and ran toward it, hoping somebody would be home. Nobody was there but I looked back an he had stopped at the edge of the yard. He was shaking, like he was really scared or angry then, and this is the weird part, he turned into a giant wolf and ran away. I know it's crazy but, that's what I saw." She hung her head, afraid I wouldn't believe her.
I knew all too well what she had encountered, filthy dogs. She's lucky she ran to our old home, our scent must have frightened the werewolf away.
"Damned filthy mongrels!" I spat.
"What, you believe me?" Bella asked in surprise.
"Of course I do, those werewolves nearly killed us, my family, a few years ago just because Jasper lost control ONCE! Fucking dogs, too volatile for their own good." I was angry and had probably said too much but it was too late to correct it now.
"I knew I saw him change…
"Phase, never refer to werewolves as changing, that word is for something else." I interrupted her.
Damn it, why couldn't I hold my tongue with her? Her scent was intoxicating but that was only part of it, I couldn't explain the rest of what I was feeling. I didn't know if I even wanted her blood anymore but I knew I wanted her right where she was, in my truck. I couldn't read her mind and that was a blessing and a curse. She was fast becoming the most fascinating thing in my world.
"What are your plans? You can't ride around with truck drivers forever, someone will hurt you eventually, not all of us are nice guys." I asked her, hoping to change the subject.
"I don't know, I don't have anywhere to go or any money. I just take each day as it comes and hope I survive and don't freeze to death that night." she replied, dejectedly.
"You can ride with me until you figure it out." I offered and immediately wonder where that came from. I had just invited my singer to live in the confines of my truck, with me for an indefinite period of time.
"Thank you Edward." Bella smiled.
If there was a heaven for me, my name falling form her lips was it. What was I thinking? I was still trying to sort through my confused feelings and strange desires and suddenly all I wanted was for Bella to say my name again. He stomach growled and, that reminded me that humans need food. She looked like she could use a shower too. I still had half a tank of diesel but, refueling would get us a free shower at the next truck stop so, I decided to fuel, take advantage of the free showers and, buy a meal for Bella.
"There's a TA at the next exit, I need fuel so we can get a shower and something to eat as well."
"I don't have any clean clothes left but a shower and food does sound good." Bella blushed as she spoke.
"The TA should have something, t shirts and jeans at least. Tomorrow we can stop at a Wal Mart and get you a few things." I answered, hoping she would accept my offer to buy clothes for her.
Bella didn't protest and quietly accepted the clothes I purchased for her as well as the food I offered her. I delivered my load on time then parked along the street and waited for my next assignment. Freight was slow and it was nearly two hours before my QualComm beeped. I read the assignment out loud for Bella to hear, translating the shorthand my dispatcher used into plain English.
"I've got a pick up in Pittsburgh in the morning and I have to deliver it in Van Nuys at five o'clock Monday morning. After that I'll be taking a week off at home. You're welcome to stay with me."
"Why not? I don't have anywhere else to be." Bella replied agreeably.