There Will Be Blood

By: Lara

DISCLAIMER: Don't own 'em.


Bella pov

Apparently there was a new family in town, or so my dad had informed me over the weekend.

When I arrived at school on Monday there was a definite vibe of anticipation sweeping through the student body. I heard the various whispered speculations all through my morning classes. Siblings, a boy and a girl that were in my grade, had started school today. The newbies were a hot commodity since this was the first interesting thing to happen to Forks since… well… last school year at least. The gossip chain was in a tizzy and it seemed that everyone was in on the buzz. I, on the other hand, had no real interest in the new comers beyond fleeting curiosity. More than anything I was simply overjoyed that I was no longer the new kid. Now the Forks High junior class had new strangers to obsess over.

At lunch I sat next to Jessica Stanley and listened as she blabbed the scoop to our table.

"So their names are Alice and Edward Cullen. Their dad is a doctor and their Mom is an interior decorator. They have an older brother who's married and in college and apparently Alice has a boyfriend back in Alaska where they're from. Seems like Edward the hottie is up for grabs though so that's good because he's flippin' gorgeous." she gushed.

Lauren Mallory huffed. "He's so out of your league Jess."

Mike Newton leveled Jessica with a sour look. "That guy seems weird to me. I don't think I've seen anyone so pale. He's probably the sickly type, you know, allergic to everything like a total momma's boy."

"I'm with Mike." Tyler Crowley agreed. "The girl looks like she's twelve and that dude's a dweeb."

Angela Weber smiled sweetly. "I think Edward is just shy. I had English with him this morning and he sat next to me. He's really quiet, that's all."

Jessica returned Mike's sour look tenfold. "The new guy is not a pansy. You're just jealous because he's hot and you're not."

"Well speak of the devil." Lauren muttered, looking toward the cafeteria entrance.

I glanced up reflexively even though I wasn't paying full attention to the conversation. But I had to admit I was curious to see the "hottie". I knew the minute he walked in because for once Jessica was absolutely right. Edward Cullen was a striking specimen of boyish good looks. I took in his pretty face, not feminine in the least but still beautiful to look at, with his ruddy lips and strong jaw set in classic lines that were breathtaking. To add to the effect his tousled, coppery auburn hair fairly shined under the florescent lighting creating a stark contrast to his alabaster skin. Even from across the cafeteria I could appreciate his superfluous beauty.

My gaze remained transfixed as he stalked his way to the farthest table in the room obviously seeking a measure of solitude despite the boisterous atmosphere. Or perhaps he was trying for anonymity with unfortunate results because I was not the only one staring at the god-like Adonis, so was every other girl.

Alice Cullen joined him at the table a few moments later but I couldn't look away from Edward to give her a cursory inspection. It was magnetic, hypnotic even, the way the very sight of him compelled me to stare and soak him in. This was not like me at all. I did not ogle guys no matter how ridiculously good looking they were. And still I couldn't look away. I just couldn't.

"Good Lord…" Jessica groaned.

I silently concurred.

Edward's expression was sullen and tense… almost angry. He stared balefully at his sister though neither of them appeared to be speaking. And then the strangest thing happened. He looked right at me.

It was not my imagination and I was not being narcissistic. Out of everyone in this crowded cafeteria his belligerent glare focused specifically on me. There was no searching look, no glancing about and then meeting my stare directly. It was as if he knew where I had been sitting all along. Like he didn't want to acknowledge me but was otherwise unable to help himself. Which was crazy. That didn't make a bit of sense. I had never met this exquisite boy before, never even seen him before this moment, because if I had I certainly would not have forgotten. He was not someone you overlooked.

I swallowed hard and his face darkened even more. If I didn't know better I could swear he was frustrated with me. What the fuck?

It wasn't until the burning in my lungs became painful that I realized I'd forgotten to breathe. Raking in precious oxygen, I look down at the table breaking the unnerving contact of his glare. I didn't dare look at the beautiful boy again. I kept my eyes down and well away but I could feel him and the hostile heat of his glare and it made my skin tingle all through the rest of the lunch period.


Edward pov

I said look at her, not stare like a creepy idiot.

Alice's thought breezed through my mind all wind chimes and sunshine, most refreshing compared to the mental racket coming from the humans surrounding us. I ignored her. This was all her fault anyway. Alice was the one that insisted we come here to Forks and insisted we enroll in high school… again. She insisted we do this her way because, as always, Alice can be pretty goddamn insistent when she wants to be. She said this would be good for me. She was as determined as Esme to make sure that I found my mate. Of course it didn't matter that I wanted nothing to do with this absurd farce. What I wanted rarely mattered.

So exactly what the hell was I trying to accomplish by staring at the delicate woman-child with the angel's face? I had no intention of giving into Alice's grand scheme. The vision of my future that she saw when Carlisle debated relocating to this two-bit town was completely irrelevant. And I really don't care if that is the path that my future should take, I don't want it. Besides, the future constantly changes and my decision is made. I will endure this until Alice and Esme come to their senses and we return to Alaska, or anywhere really as long as its far away from here and far, far away from her.

I continue watching the girl across the room even though she's purposely looked away. I don't know her name but I've seen her pretty face a thousand times in my mind. Once the mental image of the girl was there in Alice's thoughts the image had stuck with me as well. As soon as she confided her vision to Esme they were ready to relocate an hour later. I had pleaded with Carlisle to prevent the ridiculous bedlam but he had been amused and in no position to deny anything that Esme wanted. And so here we are, four vampires masquerading as humans all because my sister- and by that I mean annoying, back stabbing, traitor- has this elaborate idea to make this girl fall in love with me.

Love? As if such a thing truly existed. And did anyone ask me if I wanted this? What the hell am I supposed to do with a mate? Beside the obvious, I mean. I'm not exactly a sociable creature. I enjoy my space and my solitude. I live for my music because it's the only form of silence that I get. I suppose that comes with the territory when you have the freakish ability to hear the thoughts of everyone around you.

Because I am a masochist and I never leave well enough alone, another flaw of mine, I try again to tune myself with the angel's thoughts. And again I get nothing but silence. It alarms me a little because I've never encountered a person that I couldn't dissect. It completely unnerves me. But a smaller part of me, the part that is perverse and selfish and influencing, entices me with the curiosity to wonder. What would it be like to converse someone and not know what they are thinking? How do I begin to proceed in any direction without my obtrusive ability? And the blessed silence. How would it feel to spend time with someone and not have their thoughts bombarding their way into mind at every moment?

The possibilities are daunting and confusing. This is exactly why I prefer to be alone. I crave order and sense as opposed to chance and fancy. I am a meticulous being, always carefully planning my next step and avoiding all manner of spontaneity if and when possible. Interacting with someone that I can not read… that's improvisation at its finest. It's so maddening and disorderly. It's so normal.

Edward, you're thinking too much. Can't you just let what's meant to happen happen?

Apparently fate had one screwy sense of humor.

"She's human Alice. She's still a child for crying out loud. This is wrong." I breathed quietly, with no perceptible movement to my lips.

Her name is Isabella Swan. She prefers Bella.

I greedily absorbed that bit of information and refused to comment further. It didn't deter Alice at all.

Change is inevitable Edward. Struggle is an option.

"Have you been reading bumper stickers again?" I snapped.

Alice rolled her eyes. She made the rude gesture seem elegant. "Well, not all of us have to read fortune cookies to know the future."

"You don't know mine."

Bella is going to change your life. I can feel that. She's going to make you truly happy but only if you let her. So suck it up, quit being a coward and roll with the punches.

I detest letting Alice have the last word but the bell rings signaling an end to the lunch hour. I remain in my seat as Alice leaves for her next class and I don't move an inch until I've watched Bella Swan make a hasty retreat.

Even after delaying those few moments and consulting my schedule, I am still the first one to enter the biology classroom. I loitered by the door and waited for other students to take their places before asking politely if this class was assigned seating. A girl looked up at me, her eyes widening.

Oh. My. Gawd. He's fucking HOT!!!

She smiled in what I assumed was meant to be an alluring manner and said, "No actually Mr. Banner lets us sit wherever. You can sit here."

Or I can sit on you. Maybe Ride you. I wonder how big his penis is…

I blocked the rest of her unwanted thoughts as a retort about a bath of hydrochloric acid being less painful than her company hung on the edge of my tongue. With concentrated effort I managed an amiable response. "Thank you for the offer but I don't wish to impose."

Swiftly as I could maneuver while still keeping a conspicuous human pace, I fled to the back of the room and took a seat in the very last row. It will be harder for the entire class to stare at me if I'm behind them all. And hopefully no one will sit next to me either. After all, despite the lure of my attractiveness I am still a predator and on some most basic level these people do sense that they are my prey.

At the hailing of the one minute bell the classroom began to flood with remaining students. I occupied myself by methodically arranging my books so that for all intensive purposes I appear to actually have need of them. I didn't see or mentally hear when Bella Swan walked in the room.

Instead I smelled it and the entire world came screeching to a stop.

For the most part I've become desensitized to the scent of human blood. That doesn't mean that I don't take every precaution to avoid unnecessary risks but usually I can handle interacting with humans with little difficulty. I've spent nine decades perfecting this ability. And yet in the split second it took for that sweet, moist, delicate and utterly luscious scent to hit me as she passed the heater, two things happened simultaneously. My dick grew harder than a titanium bar and my throat burst into dry, scorching flames as I craved the taste of her blood. And for one horribly long moment as I dragged my eyes up to watch her walk in my direction I was completely unmanned. I'm not sure what my face looked like but I can promise it wasn't at all human.

It took everything in me- and I do mean everything- not to jump up from my seat, leap over the lab table and knock poor, unsuspecting Bella to the floor. I could tear into her throat and completely drain her in five seconds. I could rip open her jeans and thrust into her in two. Maybe less for both if no one interrupted me. That would be a problem. Too many witnesses. Part of me, the monster that strained against my polite façade, clawed and raged and said fuck it. I could kill every child in this room, snapping off their heads effortlessly and the carnage would take me less than a minute. Then I could have all the time I needed with Bella…

I reeled in disgust at the stark horror and simplicity of my plan. It was enough to keep me in my seat as I gripped the flimsy wood table for dear life. My throat burned and my dick throbbed.

Fate was a whore. No doubt about it. And that fucking whore was trying to do me in.

Of all the places for Bella to sit, it seemed the only open seat was next to me. I'm pretty sure something like a warning hiss escaped me before I could school myself back into rigid from. Rigid… fuck me… I am stronger than this, damn it!

I swallowed hard against the venom that flooded my mouth and watched helplessly, my expression blank and eyes glaring, as Bella approached my table. Her foot caught on the strap of someone's backpack and she stumbled. There were a few snickers and, god help me, Bella blushed. The pooling of blood in her cheeks, covered only centimeters of fragile skin was almost too much to bear. My throat ached like a white hot poker resided there and I barely contained a whimper this time. I felt wood from table break off in my fingers. It was too much. I did the only thing I could. I held my breath, not daring to breathe. As Bella took her seat she cast a glance at me but I had already looked away careful not to focus on anything but the worn textbook in front of me. Carefully I released my death grip on the table and clenched my fists.

This span of endless torture in reality took roughly a minute. How was I supposed to endure an entire hour of this? I was going to kill her or it was going to kill me. I honestly couldn't tell which.

Edward!

A tiny measure of relief blossomed with in me as Alice's mental voice filled my mind. It was a lifeline of reason. I welcomed it vehemently.

Edward! Get a grip! I can't see what you're going to do. You don't know yourself…

Through the corner of my eye I saw Bella glance at me again. The slight tilt to her head exposed the delightful curve of her neck; smooth, creamy and gently sloping. I observed her flesh pulsate right at her carotid artery. I swallowed another flood of venom. She drew in a deep breath and the swell of her breasts became more pronounced against her snug white shirt. My stare almost deviated from the textbook.

Stop thinking about licking Bella! That's not helping.

Licking… Tasting… Soft, salty skin… Warm, heady blood… Moans of pleasure… Gasps of pain… Lust… Thirst… Hunger.

No this wasn't something as tamable as hunger. This was more akin to starvation and I'd just been handed the mother of all buffets. A virtual smorgasbord of taste and sensation all bundled up nice and neat in the pretty little package that was sitting beside me blissfully unaware of her imminent demise. This was by far the worst temptation I had ever faced. And even more unsettling and all together terrifying was that this was the first time I had ever been affected in a sensual manner by my prey. There was no discernable indication of which impulse was stronger, the one fuck her or the one to feed on her. Of course there was always the option of playing with one's food…

Edward! Should I come get you? You're starting to scare me. You can't kill Bella. That would mess up everything and seriously suck. I'm mean it! Stop fucking around! Get a grip! And think of how disappointed Esme will be when you tell her you've killed Bella. She'll box your damn ears and I don't care if you are her favorite…

I absorbed the force of Alice's rant as another realization dawned one me. My family deserved better than this. I could not- No, I would not disappoint them by murdering an innocent child. Nothing could justify that no matter how delicious Bella smelled.

I imagined Carlisle's sympathetic face. I pictured Esme's sad eyes. I felt the growing force of Alice's wrath…

And I kept reminding myself of that every minute on the minute for the remainder of the hour. The whole time I kept sill as stone, certainly not breathing. When the hour was up miraculously Bella Swan was still alive. I was the first one out of my seat as the bell rang. Like a coward I bolted for the door, not daring to consider any other option. Bella was safe again, for the moment.

It was small victory.


A.N. - You gotta love a dark and dangerous Edward. The monster hiding behind a polite mask is just too hot for words.