Intruder

'Vampire...here in Forks…hungry…damn…what am I doing?' I wondered blithely, looking up at the Cullen's home as I drove slowly into the driveway. In the bright afternoon sunlight it didn't look as dismal or ghostly as last night but it still looked painfully vacant. The door was closed and no amount of sunlight seemed to be infiltrating the blank windows. It was like it was a completely different house, one I hadn't happened to be running from last night screaming like a character in some cheesy horror film. Coming to a complete stop, my hand lingered above the key on the ignition, undecided. Was I really going to do this? Was I really this suicidal? I let my eyes wander to the passenger seat where a large brown grocery bag sat and I gulped, maybe I hadn't really given this a lot of thought. Charlie came to my mind making my hand drop from the key another inch.

The concern and wary amusement in his eyes from this morning's conversation made my hand fully lower to my lap.

"I know you are…uncoordinated Bella but this is a little too much honey, you have to be careful. I mean, tripping on gravel, that's got to be a new one even for you. Did you scrape your hands that bad?" he had asked with slight exasperation but relief I still had some of my old self in this empty shell I called my body.

I had looked up from my toast to stare up at Charlie getting ready to leave, gun holster in hand as he took his dirty plate to the sink.

"Yeah…I-I'll try to be more careful," I'd heard myself mumble staring at my heavily bandaged hands as they handled the half-eaten toast. With an uncharacteristic show of emotion Charlie had gently patted one of my hands and kissed the top of my head before heading out the door.

The lump that kept popping into my throat every so often since last night made its appearance again but I fought it down. I had cried enough as it was, cried like a maniac even. After I had gotten back from the Cullen's home in a daze Charlie had been entranced by the weather man telling him snow was probably a given the next day to even notice as I arrived wild-eyed, with hands covered in dried blood, coatless, and with no poster-board at hand. It still amazed me how calm I had turned off the ignition to the truck and entered the house. My voice had also been astonishingly clear and composed as I said I was tired and heading to bed.

The first thing I had done with as much deliberation as a walking zombie was lock my self in the bathroom with a pair of tweezers, cotton balls and a bottle of alcohol. There were more glass shards embedded on the palm of my hands that I had thought possible. Some as little as grains of sand, others almost as big as teeth; with patience I knew the shock of the whole experience was giving me I spent the best of an hour plucking away. It had been no easy task; my hands were shaking so hard I kept dropping the tweezers. After that I had forced myself into the shower, turning it scalding hot but I couldn't feel it. It was only after I had poured some shampoo into my hands and began to lather did I really feel the damage to my hands. Red, hot stinging caused by the chemicals in the shampoo made me cringe in pain not even the alcohol had accomplished. For the first time since my sudden crazed state after Renée's call did I feel myself get complete control of my body and the shock that kept me active dissolved leaving me weak. I had crumpled in the shower staring at my hands, red and swollen with small streaks of fresh blood flowing along with the water that still rained over me. Flashes of the Cullen's desolate home went over my eyes, blurring my vision but I was unable to stop them.

Like a slide show I watched my memories get ahead of me without control. The white house glowing desolately…the thick darkness devoid of life…the sparkling glass…the man…

It was about then that the tears had begun. I was terrified, cold and in pain, that much was true but that wasn't the reason I was crying. As soon as my state of shock left, reality had hit me like a bat and the disappointment took over. I knew I had gotten my hopes up and now I had to suffer the consequences. He hadn't been there, and why should've he? Edward had left, never to return.

There had been another immortal in the house though, the wrong one, but an immortal nonetheless. I had gone to bed shaking uncontrollably from repressed cold I had ignored the entire time. Once in my bed, with the quilt over my head like a child my thoughts had turned to the horrid vampire. His alien eyes full with rage, the dirty state he was in made me cringe and hug my knees to keep myself together. Then I remembered that that was how he had been, crouching in the darkness rigidly as if he too was freezing and out of control.

But vampires weren't affected by the cold…were they? No, Ed—he had been complete proof of that always wearing thin shirts, no coat in the worse of weathers. Now, out of control…that was food for thought. I knew for a fact that black eyes on a vampire, well the Cullens anyways, meant they were thirsty. This…man had had black eyes but…

I had never seen Ed—his eyes that weird. Even when we had met for the first time…

'No, don't think of that,' I shook my head violently and focused my sight on the front door of the house. So black eyes, yes—so the vampire was hungry, that much I had figured last night which had triggered my great show of bravery that had caused my tires to leave skid marks on the drive way.

During the night I had fought to keep my riling mind at bay and not think about what I had just gone through. After a long time of that exhausting attempt I had succeeded and slept a very light sleep not even the nightmare bothered me this time. But when I had woken I hadn't felt rested at all. It seemed like I had been part awake, part asleep and the part that was still awake had gone over the night's events without me and had come up with a nagging suspicion that made me feel clear headed and worried.

My perpetual depression was put off to the side temporarily as I had dressed and washed my face. This suspicion alerted all my senses making me edgy as I had had breakfast and lied through my teeth to Charlie about my hands. Once the door had closed behind him and the sound of his cruiser was long gone I was rushing up the stairs to his room. Making a mess I swore to fix as soon as I returned—if I returned, I got what I needed and proceeded to my bedroom to get my truck keys. My backpack sat on the bed waiting for me to take it but I turned my back on it without remorse. A single day of skipping class wouldn't seem suspicious. I suspected no one would even notice my absence to begin with.

After that I had made my first stop a little outside to the outskirts of Forks. This stop had been difficult if not mortifying but that was how I had gotten the brown grocery bag beside me or actually the contents in it. Then with what I assumed hopefully was bravery, not stupidity, I had driven to the Cullen's in broad daylight.

'Now…what?' I wondered dully finally turning off the truck and pocketing my keys but not making a move to get out.

This was idiocy at its best, the worst possible thing I could've thought of doing given the conditions but I knew I had to see this through. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't confirm my nagging suspicion…then again, if I was wrong I wouldn't be alive for long too.

'He didn't come after me,' I told myself for millionth time since I had woken in the morning to calm myself. He was hungry, starving, and he had had me there, a stupid clumsy human, why hadn't he taken me? Not only had I gone into the house in the night, unprotected and oblivious, I had made a smart Bella move and gotten myself cut right in front of him. A paper cut had been enough to send Jasper to a murderous hunger, now two hands full of droplets of fragrant blood…

The speed I had fled with hadn't been all that impressive either; he could've easily been able to catch up.

There were also the only words he had spoken to me, "Go away, don't get near me."

They had obviously been meant as a warning, not a hostile remark to my presence, or at least that was what I hoped for.

Maybe, just maybe, this vampire refrained from human blood like…like the Cullens…and maybe, just maybe he knew about them, that was why he was here. It couldn't all be this colossal coincidence for a vampire who didn't drink human blood to have ended up in the past home of a full family of vampires who called themselves 'vegetarians'. It wasn't like they were a common vampire family. As far as I'd been told there was only one other group of vampires who coexisted with humans but they were all the way in Alaska…

With a trembling hand I reached over and got the bag, making my choice. I had to ask him…ask him if he knew where they were, knew how to find them…I had to, for my sanity, to make up for the disappointment I had brought upon myself last night.

The bright sunlight that made me blink furiously was an odd sight. Sunlight in Forks was uncanny, especially when snow had been predicted. Usually snow beat sunlight in this place, just like paper would always beat rock.

'What if he left?' the unwelcome thought popped into my head as I approached the steps. Maybe I had managed to scare him off? I approached the door and turned the knob still half-wishing it wouldn't turn. But like last night it opened effortlessly, with a deep breath I went in.

The room was just like I had left, covered in debris and leaves, and dark. I hadn't noticed the vines and shrubbery that had outgrown and covered most of the windows in the room. They created a fake sort of darkness that made me glance back to the open door to check if it was still day outside. Faint light did come through the broken windows but not enough; I had to let my eyes adjust before I could take another step.

And when they did…he was still there. It was like he hadn't moved in the entire night, like he really was a statue. Of course I knew otherwise, but that didn't mean I knew better so I let the door close once more behind me and I took a tentative step forward.

Just like last night his head snapped towards me and his black eyes flashed wrathfully at me but he remained silent. It was a staring contest that I had to forfeit if I wanted my legs not to give under me.

"He-hey, I was here last night," my voice came out strained and squeaky. Clearing my throat I tried once again, "I d-dropped my coat so…"

This was a stupid excuse for my return but now that I had said it I looked around to see my coat on the floor only a yard from him where I had dropped it.

The man never removed his furious eyes from me and I made no attempt to retrieve the coat. A stiff silence followed and the atmosphere was thick with a certain antagonism emanating from him. Then acting so fast I almost screamed he leaned with a long arm for my cloak and tossed it violently at me.

"Leave."

The room vibrated with his deep voice but his face hadn't changed as he returned to his sitting position, I wondered if he had spoken at all.

As I looked at him, glaring back at me I knew I had been right all along. He wasn't going to attack me. All of his stiff body language told me he wasn't about to jump my bones…literally. This gave my legs a bit of strength and courage so I kept myself from running away like I really wanted.

"No, I'm not leaving," was my reply which made his eyes flash in annoyance then distrust as I walked slowly towards him then stopped a safe distance in the middle of the room. I tossed my coat back to the ground and sat on it so the glass wouldn't cut into me. He watched, nostrils flaring in anger as I placed down the large bag. From it I pulled an old faded plaid shirt Charlie had used for his weekend fishing trips but wouldn't miss anymore, and also a pair of sweats in a just as bad condition. Feeling like I owed him for his earlier rudeness I tossed these articles of clothes and watched him catch them looking mutinous. His face was blackened and caked so much with dirt that I couldn't tell if he was frowning or simply looking at the shirt with contempt.

"I also figured you might want this," I added taking out two large pint-sized containers. For the first time I managed to get a real reaction from him other than anger. His eyes widened in surprise as he stared at the containers and his hands stopped gripping his arms violently. With exaggerated care I stood and got as close as I dared before he started to back himself into the wall and placed them in front of him.

"It's pigs' blood," I told him unnecessarily. I tried to hide my satisfaction as he slowly reached for one container and removed the cover. He stared at its insides, gave me a dubious look and sniffed it, probably making sure I hadn't added anything foreign. Apparently satisfied at what he smelled he pulled it up and began to drink deeply and hurriedly. I thought he was so starved all he wanted was to drink it as soon as possible but after he was done I realized it wasn't so; he was gagging.

"That was disgusting," he said hoarsely grimacing but reached for the second container and emptied it in five long gulps. I watched entranced, knowing fully well my mouth was hanging open but I didn't care. After he put down the second container I watched as his face strained with the flavor he obviously found displeasing. I guessed that if he'd been human, he would've been puking it all out again.

"I'm sorry, that was the best I could get," I said faintly wondering if he was green underneath the layers of dirt. "It was also a few days old...and cold."

He gave me a dark look that didn't completely hide the nausea he was feeling.

"It's just that the man from the slaughter house I went to told me pigs' blood was the best clean blood he could give me since the cattle had too many growth hormones injected to them. But the pigs are usually killed on Tuesdays and today is Friday so yeah…" I babbled remorsefully, he really did look like he was going to be sick.

'I've killed a vampire' I thought wildly, 'This only happens to me; I managed to single-handedly kill a vampire!'

I was sure that in any other occasion this would've been hilarious to someone with a dark sense of humor but that wasn't me. I might as well just be a walking nuclear bomb…

"It's fine," he said flatly eyeing my panicky expression warily, "I knew it would be that bad just by smelling it."

"Oh," I blinked and realized I had been covering my mouth with my hands, "Then why did you drink it?"

"It was better than nothing," he replied fully turning his head to look at me clearly. He was finally looking at me, not with anger but with detached curiosity. It wasn't a very flattering look, he eyed me as if expecting for me to pop some antlers from my head and start singing the national anthem. "What are you?"

Three simple words, that was all it took really. I was still pretty jaded, dealing with all of this out of simple curiosity and a secret hope I wouldn't admit to myself, not because I thought it affected me directly. I knew deep inside that coming to the Cullen's home again hadn't been an act of stupidity or bravery; I just really didn't care for the outcome, for my well being. I didn't care for much period and yet those three words...I saw red.

"What do you mean by that? I'm a human girl!" I snapped indignantly, "Don't you think I should be the one asking that question?"

"You already know what I am," he said in a bored voice gesturing at the empty containers giving me an Aren't-you-an-idiot look which made heat take my face by storm.

"Y-yeah, so! You're a vampire and you're dirty!" I retorted and instantly regretted it, what was I? Four years old?

His right eyebrow went up through the dirt, clearly unimpressed. Silence followed this brilliant exchange of words. I glared at him and he seemed to think too little of me to even bother to glare back.

He made me so mad! Just sitting in his little corner, insulting me…

"So why are you here?" I demanded glad my voice had retained an edge to it, "It's still trespassing even if you're dead."

"It's none of your business," he said bluntly, "you are a trespasser as well."

"Well, at least I don't vandalize," I snapped back without thinking. He simply gave me a disdainful look but didn't reply and I gasped. So I had been right, he had been the one to break the windows. "You could've just opened the door you know…it wasn't locked or anything."

"I'll try that next time," he said sardonically.

If I had had an ulcer, it probably would've erupted by now, "Were you looking for the Cullens?" I asked through clenched teeth forcing myself to keep in mind why I had even bothered to come in the first place.

"That doesn't concern you," he said turning away from me as if he had finally had had enough and he was dismissing me.

My mouth snapped open ready for an angry retort but as he bowed his head as if tired the steam went right out of me. He looked so pitiful, I was beginning to have the faintest suspicion that he was too worn out to even move from the corner. Or maybe it was hunger. I knew that vampires where beautiful by nature. Aside from the fact that he was dirtier than the floor he sat on, he was too thin for it to be normal. He was a sick vampire. The thought struck me as odd for I had never thought that conceivable, yet as I stared at his hallow jet black eyes and protruding shoulder blades I knew it was true. The man was starving to death…except he couldn't die. Thirst was physically painful for vampires, I had learned as much. Yet the way he looked told me the life he led was excruciating, especially if he didn't drink from humans.

"How much more?" I asked suddenly. He turned warily to me, apparently disappointed I wasn't leaving yet, "How much what?"

"How much more blood do you need to become normal again?"

If my apparent human oddness and extent of vampire knowledge hadn't gotten to him, now it did. He blinked a few times in shock and his mouth fell open.

"No offense, but you look like a walking skeleton…"

Finally getting control of himself he closed his mouth and shook his head firmly, "I don't need anything from you, go away."

"You're right, not from me…you need a shower though," I said airily getting up from my coat, stretching my stiff legs, "Is there running water in the house? Should I get you some soap? Underwear maybe…?"

"Go. Away."