Chapter II

Edward sat at his desk with his eyes glued to the window behind him. It provided him a large view. Admittedly it wasn't really a very good one. That's not to say that it was always like this, it was just that the fog hadn't yet lifted. It was still far too early to see anything past the tip of your nose. But it was this same fog that provided him shelter from other particles that seeked to expose him.

He was a picture of calm, with one ankle tossed up on his opposite knee, and slow jazz playing in the background. On his desk dozens of contracts were filled. Papers with names on them of people he had never met, but was undeniably linked to through a careful scheme of events. People that were connected to him only because some family member of theirs had been hunted down and killed by one of his own. Mostly they were the elderly, it made it easier that way. It was on a rare occasion that anyone below the age of 40 was killed. It was frowned upon from a certain standpoint, after all it would raise concerns if the toll of people dying below a certain age got too high. But so long as it never rose to more than two per month - it was alright.

Breathing in deep Edward shut his eyes and lay his head back against the leather chair, drumming his fingertips against the armrest. That woman had been invading his thoughts more and more as of late. It was monday morning, and all of saturday he thought of her. Sunday he had been saved by the responsibilities that came with being Heir to the coven. It was his job to ensure that everything was running smoothly along the region, it was his job to ensure that his sergeant's reinforced structure. Some vampires loved to get out of hand, going on drinking spree's until they were forced to move in. But his main concern was in finding a Blood Queen. That is what mattered ultimately, otherwise his rule would fall into the hand of another. And he couldn't disappoint Carlisle that way. Besides, he had been doing this for far too long to let anyone else step into his territory. He was perfect to rule next in line.

But this woman, this insignificant mouse of a woman, had filtered into his thoughts once the sun rose on sunday, into monday morning. Her scent did not belong. It was unnatural to him. A fragrance that seemed to warm him all over. And what did she know of it? Nothing at all. She couldn't possibly understand or begin to fathom what she did to him now.

What was her name? And why did she carry such a scent?

It's not that other humans smelled bad… that wasn't it at all. It was just that their blood did not call to him. If he fasted then certainly every one of their scents would beckon him, begging him to drink it down and make it a part of his system. But he was not so irresponsible. He made sure that he was always well fed, always at the top of his game. And then this woman enters into his line of sight, and sends all his hard work to hell. Begging him to indulge in her even though he was already focused on another.

That never happened. Not as far as he knew anyway.

Growling in his throat Edward stood up and snatched up his suit jacket, moving towards the exit of his large penthouse. He had acquired it from Carlisle who wanted to live in a mansion outside of the state, for safety purposes. Edward on the other hand decided to stay here. Almost every other resident was a vampire - and it gave him a good vantage point by which to assess the covens issues and needs.

"This is so stupid," he mumbled to himself as he stepped out. He would find her again on the train. Certainly it couldn't be that hard. He just had to get on at the same stop she had, and once there he could track her. Follow her, Figure out who she was and … and then what? Sliding on his sunglasses Edward made his way out of the building, wondering if he was making the biggest mistake of his life.

"Evelline," Bella sighed heavily and touched her forehead with mild impatience, unsure of how many other ways to say 'No' there were. "I just don't want to. You understand? I have Lily to take care of I can't just blow off my responsibility because I want to have a little fun."

Evelline stared at her for a long moment, crossing her arms and cocking her head to the side. "Do you hear yourself? I know that the rhetoric of that is nice, but you are a woman Bella. You deserve to have some fun do you understand? So call your babysitter - break out a nice pair of jeans and some heels and get your ass to that bar tonight. Look," Pulling out a little paper she wrote on it the address and number of the place, "it's really nice. I have never been there before but every man that steps out of there is regal. I mean, they're wearing suits that look like they're worth more than my college loans. And all of them, gorgeous. Supposedly, they drink from these wine glasses, only wine! Can you imagine? At a bar? But they're having a once a month invite to everyone. So come on, live a little?" Her eyes widened to huge proportions, "we don't have to get drunk or anything like that. If you want I'll drive and we can leave if we think it's weird."

"It's going to be weird - you just said that there are men there dressed to the nines drinking from wine glasses at a fucking private club." Rolling her eyes Bella snatched up the piece of paper and tucked it away into her pocket. "I just …"

"Look, I know that it's hard to get out there once you haven't done it in a while. But I'm not asking you to kiss and fuck some random guy. I'm asking you to do something for yourself. No responsibilities, just fun." Her eyes grew kind and soft, "I know that it sounds cumbersome but Bella, you see what I'm talking about right?"

And the sad truth was that Bella did see what she was talking about. She couldn't remember the last time she stepped outside of her house for something that didn't involve… work, her daughter, or some other form of adult responsibility. When was the last time I had fun? The question burned at her as she stood there staring at Eveline who was wearing a knowing smirk, knowing that she had made all the sense in the world - for once.

"Fine. But I'm telling you this right now, if some creep approaches me - I am out of there. You understand?" Bella turned from the reception desk and began to make her way out.

"It will be fun!" Evelline called, and just like that Bella was gone.

...

Will I see him? Bella wondered as she stood on the platform of the subway station. Hopefully not, though she would be lying if she said she wasn't secretly anticipating seeing him. But why? The man looked as if he hated just the sight of her. Or, at least that's what she had gathered from the intensity of his stare. But maybe that's just his face, she thought to herself quietly, glancing at her watch with impatience. She knew she wasn't going to be late to pick up Lily, but it always irked her to think that she was just standing still, not moving, not doing what she was supposed to.

As Bella stood there, not daring to glance around, she did not see the pair of crimson eyes locked on her from just a few feet away.

Edward did not dare to move close to her for fear of what might happen if he did. What if he lost all his control and approached?

But she was beautiful, perhaps more beautiful then just a few days ago. Her eyes were a molten brown, and her lips so pouty… they looked delectable. But what was she going to do? More importantly, what was he going to do. Licking his pointed teeth he briefly looked around - ensuring that he hadn't attracted any eyes. Naturally he had, but they were the eyes of women and men who wanted nothing more than to fuck him. And yet this woman did not do so much as stare at him. For all he knew she was plenty aware of his gaze… he just couldn't get into that head of hers. Perhaps she is some creature, not werewolf, or vampire - but something else all together. It made perfect sense. But Carlisle had never mentioned any other species.

Bella felt a sigh of relief when the roaring of the train approached. Perhaps she wouldn't get a chance to see the stranger today. And really it was probably for the best. The man had done a good job of frightening her.

Edward watched her sigh heavily and smirked at the gesture. Was something annoying her? Was she glad to see the train? Quietly he followed the crowd onto the shuttle and once the door closed his eyes wandered to her again. She was staring at her phone with a deep interest, and he wondered if perhaps she had a boyfriend. Was it possible even that she was married? He did not see a ring on her finger… Edward turned his head away briefly and breathed in deeply, allowing the musky scent of human males and females to linger into his system before turning his face back around in her direction. He would not approach, but he would watch her.

Edward stalked her carefully, with all the expertise in the world. Always straying behind her, always letting her gain yards of distance. He trailed behind in a haze, cursing the wind in silence when it stirred hints of her scent in his direction. He didn't know if it was a blessing or a curse for it always seemed to make his stomach clench in need and his mouth water. It always kept him far and close.

He learned small things about her as she walked - like the fact that she had a habit of tossing her hair over her shoulder, and that she was wildly impatient. She had reached a few crosswalks and immediately began tapping her foot as she waited for the innocent light to change so that she may cross the intersection. Edward also learned that he was not the only one that noticed her beauty for a few men turned around after she passed -gawking at her ass and imagining what it would be like to pull down her pencil skirt and bury their face between her thighs. Their thoughts stirred in him a hatred for the human male - even though he found himself imagining the same.

What am I doing? He wondered as he watched her slow down. She approached a school just off a main road, the lawn was perfectly manicured, and the front of the building read SPRING GARDEN. His brows knit together in obvious confusion as she strode towards it and vanished from his line of sight. From outside he could tell it was a school for small children - and he wondered if perhaps she was babysitting. Or perhaps… she had a child of her own? One does not need to be married to have a child I suppose… he thought as he watched the building curiously from the corner of the block.

Soon children began to filter out from the school, their small heads filled with thoughts of going home and watching cartoons or playing with their pets. He was not particularly fond of children, but he admired their blatant innocence. Their disregard for the world. He, like them, could be wildly insistent about what he wanted.

It was as he glanced back up from his watch however that he caught sight of her with a small girl attached to her hand. Immediately it became clear that they were related. The young girl was darker in complexion, with beautiful wide eyes and a wild mane. She lips were split into a wide smile as she stared ahead, babbling about the day. She was… Cute. He thought with a scowl. Her little limbs carried her forward excitedly. He could pick up the squeaky pitch of her tone, and despite himself he found himself growing curious to know who the child was - as a person. What did she like? What made her smile? What cartoons did she watch? This shit doesn't matter, Edward thought with annoyance.

Maybe mommy make me Mac N' Cheese? The child thought as images flashed in her head of the brunette making her food. Edward's hands clenched then. How dare this child throw his plans into the gutter like that? He couldn't possibly approach the woman now. Sure, it wasn't in any formal plan, but now the possibility of drinking her was complicated by the appearance of the little human.

"Fuck," he growled as mother and daughter strode innocently towards the other end of the road. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" He hissed and caught a small boy with circular glasses glaring at him as he passed by. Clearly the child was offended by his language, and wasn't afraid to let it show.

"Potty mouth," he muttered softly, shyly as he moved towards his father who was waiting at the end of the street.

"Whatever," Edward retorted and began trailing after his prey once again.

"And a Barbie, and a kitty, and a sweater, and a tea pot set, Mommy?" Lilly continued - her eyes glued to Bella for validation. "I been good this year, Santa gun' bring me it, right?"

"Yes my love, he is going to get you all that and more," she assured her daughter softly as they entered their apartment. Lilly immediately ran towards her bedroom, eager to dress herself in pajamas, and Bella groaned as she slouched to the couch. Burying her face in her hands she considered Evelline's offer again. It might be nice to get out. It was something she deserved - and she knew it well. But the thought of leaving Lilly with someone else just so that she could have a night of drinking irked her. It seemed irresponsible and unkind. But don't you deserve a night off? Another voice whispered inside her. She sighed heavily and pulled out her phone as she wrestled with the notion. Maybe Jacob… Lilly and him always have a blast together… and I know that Sue has been dying to see her. Maybe… She glanced down at her phone again and set it down.

She just didn't know what to do.

"Fucking ridiculous," Edward muttered angrily as he headed towards the bar. Tonight was an open invitation to the public. It was always an important night. Vampires and humans mingling meant that there needed to be more vigilance than normal. Carlisle had started Human Night for the extra revenue it created. The humans were always so very attracted to what they could not have. It never failed to be a success.

Greeting the bouncer briefly Edward glanced around the establishment with a critical eye. Everything was decked out in black and crimson. Only to entice the humans, to make them feel as if they were in a new environment - because really, they were. The wood of the bar itself was the darkest mahogany. And behind the bar on the shelf were imported drinks from all around the world. Tonight would be a success, and he was glad for it - but his thoughts were again turned to the brunette.

She didn't own a car.

A fucking car! He was outraged as he followed her and the young girl whose name he learned was Lilly. They walked and walked and Edward even heard the small child complain mentally about how much her feet hurt. What if someone attacked them? It's going to get dark soon as the winter comes… does she expect to take that walk then? Someone could hurt them. Was the woman a complete moron?

Even a taxi was dangerous! He had seen the thoughts of men, what they imagined themselves doing to her - and he knew that some would really try it. The thought of her trapped in a vehicle with some ogling male made his jaw clench. It just wouldn't do.

"You look pissed. What happened to the brat prince now?" Emmett's deep and amused voice came from the right, and Edward didn't bother looking at him.

"Nothing happened, it's just been a strange day." He quipped, running a finger along the wood of the bar, ensuring it was polished as he turned to his brother. Emmett was truly his favorite sibling, he was strong, level headed, and amusing company. His hulking form never failed to intimidate even their vampiric brethren. "Is everything ready for tonight?"

"Yes, the waitresses are all here - they have already been informed that if there are any problems they are immediately to inform one of us. I don't want them handling it themselves and then getting hurt. We don't need another problem like last year." Edward nodded in agreement. They had an incident once in which a human waitress grew annoyed by the ogling of one vampire male. She took it upon herself to hurl insults at him, and when the vampire had heard enough he drank her dry outside the establishment. It was a big headache to deal with. "Good. Still, keep an eye on everything. These fuckers get cocky around the humans - they think it's supposed to be a free for all."

"I told Felix to not let any human leave with a vampire. He said he'll keep an eye out for it."

Edward nodded, clapping his hand on Emmett's shoulder and stalking off towards the second floor. It would be a boring night, or so he thought.

Across the city Bella stared at Evelline's excited face.

"You are going to have so much fun Bella, I promise."

"I feel really uncomfortable about all of this," Bella lied, the truth was that she was excited too - and Evelline beamed, knowing it. "I just… we have to be back early okay? I left Lilly with Jacob and his sister but I don't want to take advantage of their kindness."

"We will be back in no time - you'll see." Evelline promised, "now… make up time!"


Oh Edward... if only you knew what I have in store for you.

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