I watched out my bedroom window as the clouds gathered closer and closer, promising a very loud, strong storm was on its way here. The grey mass covered up the blue clear sky, and the sun, leaving us in the dark. I was used to the rain, after living in the one place in the world where rain's become so normal people practically live with raincoats on. The thunder roared once and then the water started pouring. Fast and heavy, a typical August storm. I smiled. Unlike the rest of my family, I loved the rain. After a storm, the air smells pure. I pressed my nose to the window and wondered slightly if my parents were okay, hunting as they were up in the mountains for the weekend.

"Geez. It's like, apocalyptic out there…" Jake came out from behind me and pulled me to him. "I know it's also in the mountains…think they'll be okay?" I rested my head against his head.

"You're talking about a group of eight vampires, hon. I think they'll be able to withstand a storm. Worse comes to worse, I'm pretty sure Alice knew about this and brought the baseball stuff with her."

Jake laughed and pulled me on his lap. His right hand ran up my back to my neck while his left kept to my thigh. His lips found mine, and I, as usual, found myself locked tight in his loving embrace. I kissed him back and placed my hands in his black curls. I wrapped my legs around him and pressed myself against him. I felt him smile, and he lowered me till I was lying down. I willingly took his weight as he came above me and kissed me again. Lighting suddenly tore across the sky, illuminating my face and Jake's…and plunging the rest of the house in darkness. A low growl came from Jake's chest and he dropped his head.

"Figures…" he sighed. "I'll go get candles."

"Candles?" I smiled. "You realize neither of us needs it, right? And I really don't think we need them right now."

"Well yes, but…" He buried his face in my hair. "Candles are more romantic…"

"Ah… youknow where they are?" I asked as he got up and left me alone on my bed.

"Yeah, I'm sure I'll figure it out."

"Okay, don't get lost."

He laughed. "I'm not you, man." I watched him leave the room.

I smirked and looked back outside. It really was pouring. Wherever she was, aunt Rosalie was probably having a fit right now. Another stroke of lighting shone across the sky like a great electric snake. It was pretty cool, being able to see every color inside it, with my 'vampire' eyes. I was fully grown now, and my senses were getting more acute with every passing day. I could see each raindrop individually as it fell, feel the moist from the water even inside, and hear Jake rummaging through the kitchen cupboards looking for the candles and matches. It was fascinating, and terrifying. I was being torn from being human, or at least somewhat, though I knew I'd never been a real vampire. I didnt really belong in any category.

Another roll of thunder, another stroke of bright blue across the black sky. Something caught my eye outside. Being plunged again in the dark and water, I couldn't really make out what it was, just a blurry shape against a tree. Cringing my eyes and getting myself closer to the window, I leaned near the glass, pressing my hands on the cold matter. I stopped breathing so as to not fog up the glass and focused. As another flash slit across, I clearly made out what the shape was.

There was a girl standing, only 20 feet from me, drenched to the bone. Her outstretched palm lay on the bark of one of the biggest trees around the house. She was standing on one its branches. Her long black hair partly covered her face, but the wind blew back strokes of it, giving her an even more frightening appearance. He was tiny and thin, and was wearing a red dress.

She was also looking directly at me with huge red eyes.

Suddenly, she became a blur and appeared right in front of me, only separated by the thin glass window. I couldn't move or speak, only stare at the girl's incredible beauty, beyond what I had seen before. I was used to vampires, but she was not like me or my family. She was a …vampire vampire. Her skin seemed to glow in the storm and her red eyes had flashes of yellow, orange and black in them. She pressed both hands to the window, precisely where mine were, and leaned towards me. I did not bulge, I felt like my entire body had turned to stone. I couldn't hear anything, feel anything, or see anything but her face. She opened her red small lips into a smile.

Her teeth were covered in fresh blood.

I screamed and closed my eyes. The moment I could only see darkness, I felt myself break from the window and crash on the floor. It felt as though my fingers were on fire, but the rest of my body was numb. I could barely think I felt so dizzy. I heard Jake run up the stairs, graceful as he was, and burst into my room.

"Ness!" His strong hands raised me up and he held me close. I looked out the window.

She was gone.

I stared emptily at the window in front of me. Jake was holding me tightly, hands grasping my shoulder and right forearm in an attempt to stabilize me.

"What the hell happened?!" He asked. I opened my mouth to speak, but I realized that would only make things worse. I was sure of something. I refused to imply Jacob in this. He was already completely wired from what had happened a few months ago. With both of us having been almost killed, I felt like I should keep this one to myself. I mean, I hadn't actually been attacked…and I didn't feel like I was in danger. For all I knew, I'd imagined the whole thing. I suppose recklessness was something inherited from my mother. I cleared my throat and looked up at him.

"I saw a very big bird. I just overreacted, I guess."

Jake glanced at me and raised an eyebrow.

"Seriously? A bird?"

I did what I hoped to be a little laugh, and kissed him. That ought to make him stop talking about it.

"Yeah. A really, really big one. Nothing to worry about. Maybe I'm still a little shaken from…you know." I looked down at my hand. There is was; the little sparkly punctured crescent that shone bright against my skin. I stroked it with my thumb and shuddered. Jake took my hand and kissed it. Then he lowered his head and kissed my neck, right on the other bite mark. I smiled weakly. I hated lying to Jake, but I didn't want him worrying.

"Nothing will hurt you know. I promise." He whispered gently in my ear. "Even if it kills me, I swear, I vow, to protect you from any harm…" He raised his head to my forehead and kissed it. He moved his mouth down to my now closed eyes, my cheeks, tracing my face with his lips and nose slowly. He picked me up and hugged me tightly, while gently kissing my neck.

"I love you." He murmured.

"Me too." I whispered back in his ear. I let my gaze wonder to the window.

It was empty, but I could clearly see small handprints on the glass, too small to be mine.

And far in the forest, illuminated by yet another flash of blue lightning, a small figure dashing across the trees.