Author's Note: Thank you so much for all the nice reviews! It is very inspiring and gratifying to know that people appreciate my writing.
Renesmee had gotten ready for bed and jumped under the covers in record time. Edward had promised her a new story. He liked to begin in the traditional manner. "Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Scarlett."
Scarlett? I could try to guess the basis for tonight's story, but I didn't know how he would modify it to suit Renesmee's desire for vampire tales. She and I both loved his unique versions of familiar stories. I adored my husband's imagination and his devotion to our daughter. Of course, I would be nearly as captivated if he read the phone book. His warm, melodious voice was so compelling. You're amazing, I told him silently.
He glanced at me with a puzzled expression. "I barely started!"
"I'm sorry." I smiled at him. "I won't interrupt again. I'm just excited to listen to your story." Renesmee touched my cheek. She wanted me to be quiet.
"Scarlett's grandmother lived on the other side of the woods. Scarlett liked to visit her very often, and she always took food to give to her grandmother. One day she set out through the woods with a basket on her arm."
Aha! I knew which story had inspired him. I settled down to hear his twist on the classic tale.
"Scarlett hadn't gotten very far when she ran into someone she knew. This boy was a member of the Quileute tribe and lived on the nearby reservation. His name was Daniel. He was a few years older, but they had often gone on picnics and other outings together with their families and friends. They hadn't seen each in a few weeks, though, because Daniel had been sick. Scarlett greeted her friend happily and asked if he was all better now.
"'Yes,' he said slowly. 'I am better, but I still need to be careful and not get stressed.' He was looking at her very intently."
I'd promised not to speak up, but I raised an eyebrow at Edward. A Quileuete boy who'd dropped out of sight for a few weeks and now was fascinated by Scarlett in a new way? I thought I knew what that was about, but we hadn't yet explained all the details of imprinting to Renesmee. Edward just smirked at me.
"'Why are you staring at me like that?' Scarlett asked.
"He shook his head slightly to clear it. 'No reason,' he answered. 'May I walk with you?'
"'I'd like that,' she answered. So they walked together on the path through the woods that led to her grandmother's house. They talked about her grandmother and what Scarlett and other people they knew had been doing since they'd seen each other last.
"Now, while they are walking and chatting, I have to tell you about something very sad that happened to Scarlett's grandmother."
Renesmee looked anxious.
"A vampire came to her house and drank her blood."
"Oh, no!" Renesmee cried. She quickly flashed through pictures of Carlisle, Esme, Charlie, Sue and Billy.
Edward nodded. "Most vampires do kill humans, and Scarlett's grandmother didn't have anyone to protect her like people here do."
"You won't let anything happen to our family, will you?"
"No," he said firmly. "We are always on the lookout, and Mommy and I and all our family and Jacob and all the wolves will stop anyone who tries to hurt someone we know. But Scarlett's grandmother wasn't so lucky. She was killed, and the vampire was waiting in her cottage for Scarlett to come along so she could drink her blood too."
"How did she know Scarlett was coming?" Renesmee asked.
"Good question," he acknowledged. "When the vampire came to the cottage, her grandmother had called out, 'Is that my favorite granddaughter with a basket of delicious treats for me?' So the vampire knew that a visitor was expected, and she thought it would be a very easy way to get another victim.
"Scarlett and Daniel arrived at the cottage. He said he would wait outside for her so that she could have a private visit with her grandmother. She opened the door and went in."
Renesmee clutched my hand in excitement.
"Scarlett saw someone lying in bed, but the room was rather dark. 'I'm here, Grandmother,' she said softly. 'Are you awake?'
"'Yes, I'm awake, my dear,' answered the vampire. 'Thank you for coming to visit me. You smell so nice today.'
"'Grandmother!' Scarlett said in surprise. 'Your voice! It sounds so different.'
"'Oh, that's because I had a cup of tea with honey just now,' the vampire explained.
"'Well, it sounds very nice,' Scarlett said, a little doubtfully.
"'Good. Come closer, and I'll sing you a little song,' she coaxed. Scarlett took a step towards the bed.
"'Grandmother!' Scarlett exclaimed again. 'Your eyes look strange.'
"'They were itching and bothering me before,' she answered.
"'They look red,' Scarlett said uncertainly. She was starting to feel rather uneasy.
"'Don't worry about it,' the vampire tried to reassure her. 'I can see you very well. Come a little closer.' She smiled at her in encouragement.
"'Grandmother!' Scarlett shrieked. 'Your teeth!'
"'What about them?' she asked.
"'They're so white and sharp!' Scarlett knew something was wrong now.
"The vampire stopped pretending to be her grandmother. 'The better to bite you with!' she snarled. But just then, who do you think burst into the cottage?"
"Daniel!" Renesmee cried.
"Not exactly. A giant gray wolf crashed through the door."
"It was Daniel," Renesmee said confidently.
"Yes," Edward said. "He was a werewolf, and while he was waiting outside, he noticed a strange scent that he didn't like at all. That made him suspicious. Then when he heard what Scarlett said about her grandmother's teeth, he knew she was in danger, and he instantly changed to his wolf form.
"Scarlett was absolutely terrified to see this gigantic wolf rush into the room. But of course he did not attack her. He leaped on the vampire. Scarlett wanted to run away, but the clash took up all the room in the small cottage. She was afraid to try to reach the door, but she got as far away from the fighting as she could. She huddled in a corner and covered her eyes. The air was full of growling and snapping and the sound of furniture being knocked over and broken. She peeked through her hands and saw that there were several wolves fighting now."
"The pack!" Renesmee proclaimed in a tone of satisfaction.
"That's right," Edward confirmed. "When Daniel transformed into his wolf body, some of his wolf brothers and sisters who had been running and playing in the woods could hear his thoughts. He called for help, and they came as fast as they could, which you know was very fast. Scarlett was still trying to hide and stay out of the way. Suddenly in the middle of all the noise and confusion, she felt very warm hands on hers, gently pulling her hands from her face. She opened her eyes and saw Daniel in front of her.
"'Come on, let's get out of here!' he said urgently. She was relieved to see him but still very frightened and also confused, because he didn't look the same as before. He didn't have his shirt anymore. He was just wearing shorts."
Renesmee giggled. She knew the wolves' clothes were always getting destroyed.
"But she let him lead her outside," Edward continued. "The others had killed the vampire and were going to make sure she was finished forever."
"'My grandmother!' she cried, when they had gotten some distance from the cottage. Daniel said he was very sorry. 'Who was that?' she wondered fearfully. 'I was so scared. She had a beautiful voice, but she had red eyes and sharp bright teeth.' He said he thought a vampire had killed her grandmother. 'A vampire?' she said in horror. 'She was going to kill me too. She said she was going to bite me! But a huge wolf burst in and attacked her, and then there were a lot of wolves there. They were so big.' He nodded. 'You were very brave to come inside and help me escape. Thank you!'
"'Of course I came,' he said. 'I'm sorry I didn't realize right away that you were in trouble. I'll always do everything I can to keep you safe.'
"She squeezed his hand in gratitude. 'Will you come home with me and help me tell my parents that Grandmother is gone?' she asked. He agreed. They began walking, and she noticed that she still had the basket on her arm.
"'Look,' she said sadly. 'Poor Grandmother didn't get to eat any of these things I brought for her.'
"'Would you like me to carry the basket?' he asked.
"'That's okay,' she said. 'But maybe you would like to eat some of these muffins?'
"So on the way home, Daniel ate up all the treats in Scarlett's basket."
Renesmee's musical laugh was so delightful. She was also familiar with the wolves' voracious appetites. She smiled contentedly as she snuggled into her pillow.
"Did Scarlett ever find out that Daniel was the first wolf who came to rescue her?" she asked sleepily.
"Yes, eventually," Edward replied.
"That was really nice," I told him.
"Not too dark?" he asked. "The grandmother died."
"That part was sad, but it's okay. I like how you modified the fairytale. You made the villain a vampire, and the wolf was the hero!"
He flashed the crooked smile I loved so much. "Bella, it's just a story."
Author's Note: I hope you liked Edward's story! Please let me know what you think. Writing these is a lot of fun, so Edward and I kept going...