I'm writing like mad, hoping to get the chapters out weekly on a Sunday! :)
Thanks for reading! Comments always welcome!
Following the moon – Chapter 2
"We've got to get moving Bella, we're meeting the family at 2 in Port Alice" Edward said rising slowly from his chair. "I'm sure we can leave this lot to clean up their mess"
"That's not very host-like Edward" Bella admonished.
"No, no, not's not like you lot eat is it, our bad, plus I want to catch a few z's on your plush couch" Seth joked
Renesmee jumped up from the table and landed squarely on Seth's stomach "Hey little man, you do as you're told!" Seth let out a pained huff of breath
"Woe, woe, kidding, kidding and what do you mean little man, I'm like, 15 years older than you!" Seth exclaimed
"Yeah, but girls mature faster than boys, that's what mummy says, me more than most! Mummy, how old am I compared to him?" Renesmee asked
"You're about 6 Essy" Bella called from the bedroom "get off Seth and pack what you need for the car, we need to go soon"
"Ha!" Renesmee said triumphantly "told you! Am not that little, little man"
"Shoot, it's still 11 years" Seth sulked.
Edward chuckled "come on Renesmee, your mum is right, we need to go soon or we'll be late" He looked at Seth with warmth, "thanks for letting her win" he said as Renesmee bounced out of the kitchen to her room.
"She's a peach, I can't disappoint her" Seth said slightly embarrassed.
"Come on" Jake said pulling Seth up from the couch "washing or drying"
"Awww... you kidding?" Seth asked hopefully
"Nope" Jake said commandingly
Bella was packing her supplies for the road, mainly things for Renesmee, extra clothes, blankets and books.
"What is it Bella, I know something's wrong. You hide it well, I may not be able to read your mind but I can still tell when you are upset about something"
"Edward, this isn't the time, we have to go"
"It's never a good time, it's the Volturi isn't it. Bella we are nothing like them. We don't need to bury cats to prove that, the fact we respect life shows it. We are not and never will be like them."
"Oh Edward, I'm not worried we're like them, I'm worried they're looking for us. Something doesn't feel right. I don't know what it is, but something is different, I've been noticing less and less life in the area recently, you can't say you haven't. I'm worried we're being penned in without knowing anything about it. There's something not right, Edward, I scared, for us, for our family"
Edward sighed gently "Bella, I have noticed some changes recently, but it is not the Volturi, I don't know what it is, but I know it's not them"
"How Edward, how do you know, how do you know we're not in danger, convince me!"
"I can't, but I've followed the Volturi since that day, Alice has been watching, they are still licking their wounds. They have grown strong again, recruited new vampires to their ranks as we knew they would but they are still tied to Volterra. They are still too scared to come after us. They won't even consider it for years. I didn't want to worry you about this, that's why I didn't tell you. We can ask Alice and Carlisle when we meet them if they are aware of anything"
Bella sat down softly "OK, we'll ask, but if it's not them then there's something else"
"Yes, something more subtle, I don't know what but we do not need to worry, we can handle anything that comes our way, I know we can, we always have"
Bella smiled, the first genuine smile Edward had seen for days "You're right my love, we can and will handle anything" and drew Edward down beside her. The kiss they shared was soft and loving yet forceful in a way only those truly in love and passionate about each other can know.
Bella finished packing quickly "Which car Edward? I need to throw this stuff in the back and then get Renesmee"
"We'll take the Mustang" Edward said with a wicked gleam in his eye.
"Great" said Bella "That damn car is the only thing I've ever been jealous of with you"
"Yeah, she's a beauty isn't she" Edward mused
"Yeah, a real Christine" remarked Bella
He stood watching Bella help Renesmee into the back door of the car. He admired the lines of the Ford Mustang, the arch of the wheel covers and the stripes as they moved over the bonnet. Waxed to a high shine she was the pride of his car collection. He had faster cars, he had flashier cars but none compared to his Mustang.
"Edward, it's a car, come on, it goes from A to B, well, when someone drives it rather than looks at it"
Edward snapped awake "Sorry" he murmured as he slipped behind the wheel and turned over the engine. It died to a soft growl as he backed out of the garage.
"Remember to lock the door!" He yelled as he passed the front of the house, he received a slow salute from Leah in his rear view window and a gesture which wasn't so gallant followed swiftly behind it.
"Don't worry about them, they'll be fine. I had a quick word with Jake and asked him to keep the guys alert for anything new in the area. He was worried as well"
"OK" Edward said in a clipped tone and sped through the trees along the road which was little more than a dirt track. After a short while he turned slowly onto a main road and headed southeast toward Port Alice some 75k away. After an hour they entered the Port Alice and drove quickly through the main town and beyond to Carlisle and Esme's house.
They parked in front of the two story house. It looked nothing like their cottage although the settings were similar. The house in front of them was spectacular. It seemed to rear up from the landscape with no effort. Beautifully blending in with the surrounding forest, yet so completely different in structure a material it should have looked odd and out of place.
The full length panes of glass shimmered in the muted sunlight and the canopy which reached above the house gave the whole area a mossy living feel. The pale stone work of the supporting pillars blended nicely into the muted green and brown sea of the landscape and enhanced both the house and the surrounding forest.
Edward felt a slight pang as he compared the house to the house they left in Forks knowing that whether they meant it or not this was almost an exact replica. The pang he felt was the guilt he still carried for driving them away from Forks and the life they and settled into. Although in his head he knew they would have had to move on from the area as their agelessness begun to raise questions his heart broke for Carlisle and Esme as they had been comfortable and happy in Forks.
Renesmee, dulled from the journey groaned from the back of the car "Daddy, why have we stopped, I don't need the toilet, and I just want to see Granny and Grandpa".
"You will Essy, in just a moment, they are coming to the car now"
With this shock realisation Renesmee sat bolt upright, looking around her. Her grinning smile spreading wider and wider on her face "Granny, Grandpa! Yeay!"
Edward leaned effortlessly over and unbuckled her and she shot out of the car into the arms of Carlisle and then a dual hug from Esme sent her into heaven as she giggled and smiled, looking into the loving faces of her grandparents.
Carlisle extracted himself from the three way hug and walked quickly to the car, helping Bella, hugging her closely to him "It's fantastic to see you again Bella, it's been too long"
"Carlisle, I'm sorry, we've been so busy recently, we've hardly had time to sit down"
He looked back over his shoulder "She's growing fast, I can see why you would have been busy!" and smiled brightly. Edward approached with his arms open, embracing Carlisle warmly. "Carlisle, how are you, how have you been?"
"We're well Edward, we have a surprise for you and no peaking!"
"Too late" said Edward as the three of them linked arms and walked toward the still hugging Renesmee and her name sake Esme. "Well don't say anything to spoil the surprise" said Carlisle.
"Wait, you know I don't like surprises guys" said Bella cautiously
"It's for all of you actually" Esme interjected having to peel Renesmee off her and start leading her toward the house.
The next few minutes ran in a blur, even to the high speed eyes of a vampire. They opened the front door and Renesmee walked in first, there was a blur of white and a high pitch squeal as someone threw themselves at the new arrivals.
Bella reacted with lightening speed throwing herself through the door and intercepting the moving target before they got to Renesmee. As soon as she caught the intruder she realised what her surprise was as Alice jumped up squealing, kissing and hugging her.
Bella, in a flood of understanding and relief laughed happily hugging the still manic Alice back furiously. "Alice! You gave me a fright!"
"Me?" the laugh that accompanied the shocked question was like the tingle of metal whine chimes on a soft evening breeze. "How could I scare anyone!" she looked a little annoyed.
"I wasn't expecting you, that's all, I thought you and Jasper were still in Brazil!" Bella said mollifying the increasingly pouting Alice.
"Well, OK then, I guess I understand" and she smiled happily "Where's my beautiful niece, Oh my! How you've grown up" more hugging ensued and Jasper cautiously entered the room. Edward instantly understood that Jasper was not sure whether Renesmee was classed as food or family and so he was keeping his distance until he knew more. Edward realised more deeply than Jasper that the caution was linked to the incident which seemed to have happened a lifetime ago which lead to the near fatal separation of himself and Bella.
He understood and respected Jasper's hesitance and thanked him for it but could not let that drop his guard.
Eventually, the house settled back down to questions about how Renesmee was enjoying herself, how she was progressing, were her powers still the same when out of the blue Edward asked "Carlisle, have you heard about anything... strange... about this area?"
"No, not really, why do you ask?" asked Carlisle, his interest piqued immediately.
"Bella and I have both felt something is not quite right, I was hoping that you knew about it."
"Not right in what way?" Carlisle asked both Edward and Bella.
"We're not sure, it's not Volturi, I'm certain of that. It doesn't feel like our kind or the pack. We just don't know"
"Let me look around for anything unusual, there has been a number of hikers and campers who have gone missing in recent months but it's not that uncommon. Alice have you seen anything that might suggest a problem?"
Alice looked confused "No, but then I have dark spots whenever the pack is close, so it doesn't mean there isn't anything going on".
"Let's keep an eye or two open for anything unusual, has the pack found anything?"
"No, but they have sensed something too, they don't know what it is either" replied Edward.
"Enough of this talk" scolded Esme "We haven't been together for a very long time, let's not fill it all with this".
Everyone agreed happily but Edward knew Carlisle wouldn't let anything go until he had an answer. An answer that Edward himself would resolve. He would let nothing interrupt or threaten his family's lives.