As Edward opened the front door to let the both of them leave, Bella faced a gun an inch-distance from her face. She blinked. One breathless second, then she looked at the carrier of the pistol. Orange round glasses. Long face. Very wide red hat and crimson cloak. He wore white gloves, as she noticed after staring back at the weapon.

"You look humane." It sounded like a statement.

Edward took a deep breath, then began really calmly, in almost pleading manner:

"That's true. It's Bella. Today is her birthday. Please let her go."

The man turned hatted head a bit.

"How old are you, girl?" he asked. Bella found it surprisingly easy to do a smalltalk while endangered.

"I'm eighteen. Now older than Edward. In some way." she smiled shyly in subconsious attempt to release the tension.

"You would have been a mother twice at least should you had lived a few ages ago." gunhandler smiled unexpectedly showing teeth of a predator.

"You remember these times?" she asked politely with some interest.

"I miss them." prompt answer. Stranger lowered the gun a bit. Then he simply changed the target from Bella to her vampire boyfriend. A bullet-delivered death was no longer an obvious option.
"Now as you are adult it's time for some adultery. We would have one hell of fun." he explicited a proposition nearly equal with supposition. The hatted looked intently at Bella above round glasses. Ruby colour of his eyes was, in fact, the thing she almost expected. There was a vampire in front of her. Cold, no-blood murderer. Bella stared back with thoughtful expression on her face.

"Can you swear it is not my blood what you seek?" the girl asked seriously.

"No need to seek what is right under one's nose." he smirked. "Consider the offer as a birthday gift." suggested in calm and steady voice.

"You won't kill me?" she insisted.

"If I want to, you're dead. It's that simple." the hatted smiled again. Then, after a moment of hesitation, he rested the gun on his own shoulder of the hand he was using to carry it. Golden-eyed vampire made a swift move to both cuddle Bella and shield her with his body. He still seemed tense.

"Bella, he is a nonvegetarian vampire. He is sure to harm you." the Cullen appealed for the reason of the jubilate. Judging from the tone he was in fear. Bella shivered and gave Edward compasionate look.

"You were saying this about yourself, remember? Back then when our love freshly bloomed." she said shaking with overhelming burden of emotions.

"I love you, but he doesn't." Edward emphasized the difference with half-wild growl of desperate vampire. His girlfriend put a palm on his cheek.

"I wish you'd give me that kind of gift. If only you were simmilar to him in this, I would jump over the moon with joy!" Bella whispered earnestly.

"You know I cannot." he half-shut eyelids as if in pain.

"If he can, you can too, can't you?" the girl was stubborn. She had a feeling she could win her wish.

"You mean nothing to him. I will ensure you safety from the pervert." Edward said sternly looking over his shoulder with disgust at the said one. "Come, dear."

He was forced to stop as red-clad fellow vampire stand on his way.

"It is a woman who decides. You don't have her permission. As you practically rape her out of private freedom, be ashamed you filthy eunuch." the hatted explained dryly. "No dragging a helpless victim out of the sight."

Edward looked startled. Bella smiled widely and unexpectedly to herself.

"He's right. I'm going with him." She pressed hands onto Cullen's torso to show him her intentions. He looked at her with disbielieve.

"How... Bella, why..." then he shook handsome head and snapped angrily:

"You're not going anywhere. You behave like raving. I'll take care of you, just relax..." his voice softened during last few words. Bella's eyes shined with excitement.

"Will you make love with me? Here? Now?"

"Listen to yourself, love!" Edward moaned.

"So let me go."

His empty hands fall down as he realised sorrow of rejection.