It didn't suprise me when Alex didn't talk to me on friday. After all, i had acted a little skittish. Alex was excited aboout my recording that i sent him and from what i've been told, another hunter gas been sent to Alaska, to the other vampire family. My preformance and level-headedness as been praised-due to the fact that i hadn't told alex about my little rampage. No hunter has ever became friends with a vampire. Edward wasn't so bad, after all. He was still an evil creature, but maybe he was an ok evil creature. The only thing that made me nervious was that they drink blood. I had no idea how they survived in a town of humans without those humans noticing people disapearing. In fact, since i've been here, i have heard no stories of about people disapearing. Maybe they went somewhere else to hunt, and Alex wanted me to find out where. This ought to be fun. But that would have to wait, because i was still trying to be inconspicuious, so i was going shopping Saturday morning with Angela.
Hopping out of the car and into the parking lot of Port Angela's shopping centre, i couldn't help but breathe a sigh of realife to be out of that small town.
"Bella!" A small, annoying voice called. Alice. Glancing behind me, she was jogging to catch up.
"Hay." I tryed to sound up beat.
"What are you doing here?"
Better question; what are you doing here? I opened my mouth to answer, but my phone buzzed in my pocket.
"Hello?" I answered.
"Bella, its Angela.
"Oh, hay. Where are you?"
"Um, acually,"-oh, no," i can't make it."
"Why?" I demanded, getting angry.
"My mum invited some family over without telling me and now she wont let me leave. I'm sorry."
"That's alright," i sighed, hanging up. I hope Alice had a shopping partner, because i had a feeling i knew what she would say if she found out that mine cancelled. She seemed like the overly helpful type.
"Whats happened?"
"My friend cancelled."
"Why don't you come with me?"
"I better be going."
"How about you call me later on Edwards phone and we can make plan for the movies tomorrow."
"Sure, Alice."
She smiled once more at me before i turned towards my car. The heater was on full pelt when i called Alex two minutes later.
"This is great! You have to go to the movie's with her, it'll help you become her friend." He paused. "You need more friends."
"I have friends."
"Your mother doesn't count."
"What, are you saying your not my friend?" I challenged.
"Thats no the point. It's your assignment, so deal with it."
"Yes. Because having a vampire best friend is going to be so fun," i said sarcasticly.
He ignored my ranting. "Just do it, and don't forget to question her about the whole blood thing, ok?"
"Yeah got it," i sighed. I was already pulling out of the parking lot when i shut my phone, so that was probaly why i didn't notice the person standing on the middle of the road untill i hit him. "Oh my God." Then something hit me. Sould someone still be standing and looking at me when i just hit him? No. Thats because it wasn't a human. Edward was looking at me through the windshield with a look of utter astonishment, turning to anger when he saw me reach for the gun i always kept under my seat. I had no doubt that he had heard my whole conversation with Alex.
With a sudden woof of air, Edward was seated in the passenger seat, a firm grip on my arm. Withdrawing my arm, i staired up at him in horror.
"Edward, i-."
"Save it." I flinched from the hostility of him voice. The way he looked at me, he looked...like a vampire. "Drive."
I knew i sould liten to when he says, but i was to scared to thing clearly. "Im sorry. What?"
"Drive."
"W-where?"
"My house," he said in a voice so dark that i couldn't help shaking slightly.
Was he going to torture me? Before i drove an inch, Alice was suddenly walking towards us, waving. Maybe she would help me.
"Whats going on, Edward?" She asked when i winded down my window.
"Hop in, we need to leave."
"Where?"
"Bella has something she would like to explain," he said, glaring at me.
Shrugging, Alice jumped in the back. Looking in the rearview mirror, she was stairing at Edward when suddenly her eyes glazed over. A moment later she came round...and glared at me the same way Edward was. She knew. There goes my hope that she would help me. Consentrating i sped toward their house. We got there quickly and as soon as i pulled the break, Edward was at me door, yanking me out. He shoved through the front door, and i feel over from the force. Esme and carlisle-i suspected-were sitting in the lounge room when we barged in.
"Edward!" Esme called in disaproval, walking over to help me up.
"Leave her." The harshness of his voice was enough for her to know something was going on. She backed up. Grunting, i heaved myself up.
Emmett arrived a moment after with a beautiful blond beside him-Rosalie. Jasper was last, moving to stand beside Alice. Looking up, i came face to face with seven vampire's; two angry and hostile and five curious.
"Edward, whats going on?" Carlisle asked.
"She's been lieing to us."
Esme huffed. "Surely whatever it is, is not enough for you to behave so rudely."
"She knows what we are. She's known since the moment she saw us."
All five of them looked at me in shock. Then Carlisle broke the silence. "Maybe this isn't so bad. Would you tell anyone Bella?"
Unable to speak, i just stood there.
"I over heard her speaking with someone called Alex"-my head snapped up. Would they go after him once they were finished with me?-"and he gave her instructions to become friends with us. Decive us." He spat the last part. "After all we've done for her." I flinced.
"Bella...?" Esme asked in a small voice. The others letting shock over take them.
Stepping back, i looked her leavely in the eye. "I can tell you everything i know, just don't harm Alex." Calculating this, she nodded. I sighed in realife. "Well, you see, im here on an, um, assignment."
"What kind of assignment?" This came from Emmett.
"One to find creatures like yourselves and report them. My job was to become trustworthy and figur out your plans, it's all i could do to restore my family's name." I hung my head in defeat. Could they just kill me already?
"What do you mean 'restore your family's name'?"
"My dad tried and failed to get information from a coven down in Africa-the Arazon coven, i think. He got murdered. And when i heard about this mission, i agreed." My voice was shaky by the end.
"What usually happen's to people like you who get caught?" Edward asked, seeming somewhat himself.
I swollowed. "They don't return," was all i was able to say in a small voice.
Esme made a choking sound. "She must be scared stiff," she instisted, glaring at Edward. "I know this is a bad thing, but she is still a little girl."
I bit my toung at the little girl comment. Talking back was probably no the best idea. Edward looked like he somewhat agreed.
"I know i acted wrong, but i was afraid that she would go and tell someone like Alex."
"Well maybe we sould keep her here untill we know the full story," suggested Carlisle, looking at me intently.
Whoa. Did he just say 'keep me here!'?. As in prisoner. Hell no! " I am not staying here."
Edward turned reluctantly in my direction. "You have no choice." With that, he lifted me effortlessly over his shoulder and flew up the stairs. He opened the door to a large study and dumped me on the ground.
"Ow," i complained when my arm hit the side of the table. Edward was already gone before i stood up.
Edward pov
"I am not staying here." Bella's voice was stopping me from concentrating.
"You have no choice." Lifting her, i flew up the stairs and opened the door to Carlisle study, dumping her on the floor. I heard her arm hit the table, but i was out of there before she could look up at me. Everyone was doing something different when i arrived down stairs. Emmett and jasper were playing the xbox, not a care in the world. Rose was no where to be seen. Carlisle was sitting on the couch, thinking about to possibility of a secret organization of vampire hunters. I snorted. Alice was seated on the frount step's, in dooubt about what Bella had told her. Alice had a vision that they would became best friends and, now, she was unpset over the betrail.
Sighing at Alice's sad thought's, i walked into the kitchen where Esme was cooking soup. Out of all of us, she was the only one who though Bella desurved better then this. Me? I was still undecided. Sure i still loved her, the smell of her blood had no weekened and i felt the urge to protect her. After what she told us, though, i wasn't in the mood for dealing with this.
"So, how long are you going to keep her locked up?" Esme stopped what she was doing and looked at me in dissaproval. Her thoughts were set on how badly she though i reacted. I agreed.
"I am not keeping her locked up."
She raised an eyebrow. "Then why do you have her stuck in a room?"
"Because i need some time to think about all of this. She'll be fine for the night."
"Why do you think she is doing this?"
"I have a theory," Carlisle suggested, walking in and sitting at the bench. "When she said 'i have to do this because of my father'. Maybe she doesn't want to do what she is doing, but she does it anyway because of what other people will think of her familys name. It kind of noble."
"Exellent theary, Carlisle. Now, Edward, can you please go and find Bella a proper room to sleep in while she is under my roof?"
I smiled. Esme was so kind. "Sure."
"Ahh," Carlise started just as i was about to leave," maybe you sould let Alice do it. It'll give her a chance to talk to her," he suggested. Alice was suddenly there, looking astounded.
"As if i would want to talk to her after what she's done."
"She hasn't done anything, Alice," Esme scolded her for her impolitness.
"I just had a vision of her bringing people to our house and try to kill us-not that that's possible." I could tell she was upset over what she saw.
Esme sighed and turned towards the stove, picking a pot up from the hot plate. She poured a bowl full, put it on a plate with some bread and shoved it in my hand. "Make sure she gets this."
"Yes, Mum." And i made my way up to Carlisle study, off to question the girl who has coursed so much trouble to my family.
Bella pov
My mind drifted off as i sat behind the desk, hidding myself from the door. I was siriously freaking out, and nothing in my training had prepared me for being kidnapped by vampire's. The only option i have is it call Alex, but i doubt i could get far enough away for them to not be able to hear me. How had i been so careless? Of course they would've foound out. This-becoming friends with them-was a bad idea.
When i heard the door crack open a little, i gasped and hugged my knee's to my chest. So they were finally going to start the torture.
"Bella?" Edwards voice was cousious, unsure. I made no movement. I heard the door close and let out a breath. He was gone. Letting my legs go, i slowly stood up and turned around...Only to come face to face with Edward. Shit. He hadn't left. "Esme wanted me to give you this." He gestered to the bowl of soup. It smelt delisious. My belly grumbled.
A hesitand smile crossed his lips. "Why don't you have a seat?"
Why was he being so nice? Deception, i thought. "I'm ok standing."
He pursed his lips. "Alright. I, um, also wanted to apology's for the way i behaved before."
Was he for real? If i found out that some human was pretanding to be my friend, i would be pissed. Consentrating on something other then his face, i scratchedmy lower arm, where it had hit the table. Noticing my movement, he looked at it, frowning.
"Whats that?" He asked, for i had hid my arm behind my back.
"Nothing." Blinking, i felt something cool touch my arm. Twisting around, Edward was lifting my hand up to asses it. There were blue-black bruses covering my lower arm. I've had worse.
"Was this from before?"
"If you mean you slamming me to the ground, yes."
"I am so sorry, Bella," he said in a horried tone. Was he upset about hurting me? I couldn't imagin it. He backed up untill he was against a wall.
He look's so sad, i thought. No. I was so not going to feel bad about this. But i was. Sighing, i moved closer to him, umtill there was only a foot between us. I needed to know something.
"Edward, why are you being so nice? You guys are nothing like i was told."
"What were you told?"
"That you's were blood thirsty, unruley creatures of the night and you didn't belong to live."
He look thoughtfull. "And what do you think of us so far?"
"You's aren't as bad as i though. or as scary, untill reacently, that is. Before all of this blew up, i was acually looking forward to being Alice's friend. She has as amazing fashion sense. And i was starting to feel something for..." I stopped. What was i saying? I mentally kicked myself for being so naive, untill i realised something. I was already dead, might as well tell them how i feel. "None of this is going to matter when you kill me, though. So never mind."
His expression turned to one of confussion. He reached towards me, ignoring me when i flinched. Once his hand touched me face, i was glade he hadn't pulled back. "Why would you think that i would kill you?" The idea seemed to make him sad.
"Well...yoour a...vampire and i found out," i stammered as i tried to work through this.
"So you think that i would be mad enough to kill you?"
"Aren't you mad?" I asked, remembering the glares he'd givin me and the harshness of his voice.
He sighed and dropped his hand. "I souldn't have acted that way. After hearing you talk to Alex about us, i panicked, thinking that you would run off and tell someone else."
He looked so sad that i didn't realise what i was doing untill my hand was touching his. Surprised, he glanced at me in amusment, then smiled. Reaching forward again and putting his hand on the side of my face, he pulled me forward a little. My breath quickened. At this point i was completly numb, and all i could think was how much i wanted him to kiss me. Even if he was a vampire. Closing the distance between us, reaching up and almost kissing him. Almost? He pushed me back, breaking my grip on his shirt. Did i just get rejected by a vampire? Blushing, i looked down.
"Im sorry, Edward," i whispered.
"Believe me, i feel the same way. But just because i don't act like other vampires, doesn't mean im still not one." Of course. What was i thinking? Kissing a vampire.
"I was courious about that. Why are your eyes a butterscotch colour? Aren't they ment to be red?" Talking about stuff like this didn't freak me out so much after all. Part of me felt safe with Edward, and the other part wanted to shut down untill someone came and saved me. I ignored the second part, that would get me nowhere.
He laughed. "I'll explain it all in good time. Right now, though, you sould eat."
Alice pov
We were ment to be best friends, Bella and I. Now, though, she was locked upstairs for being some kind of vampire hunter. I was really looking forward to a new shopping partner.
Wondering through the forests a mile from the house was the only place i could clear my head. Sitting on a log, i couldn't care less about my designer jeans. I was thinking through everything that has happened in the last twenty-four hours when i felt myself being pulled into another vision.
Bella stood in the middle of a field, alone. Five people stood in a circle around her, each looking like they held a sword or something in there hands. Bella held one awell. She had a cut alond her upper arm. Blinking, the vision started fading just as a guy with short black hair and brown eyes ran towards her, sword raised.
"No!" Then it cut.
What the hell was that about? I need to let Edward know. Running at full speed, i made it back to the house just as Edward was walking back into the kitchen. Seeing my distress, he paused and was about to ask what was going on, but i was alread ahead of him.
"Bella's in danger," i gushed.
"What are you talking about? She's asleep upstairs in my room."
Instead of explaining it to him, i pictured the whole scene in my head. He stiffened.
"That can't be. We would know if she left."
"I know. That was just what i saw," i shrugged. I was still upset that i couldn't be her friend.
"Acually, Bella told me to tell you that she was sorry and would still like to go to the movies."
I beamed. "For real?" He nodded. "Ahh, thats awsome. We could go shopping..."
"Whatever, Alice," he said, rolling his eye's. "Just let her sleep."
"You still have a thing for her, don't you?"
"Yes, and she said she feel's the same way."
That's great! He laughed at what i thought and touseled my hair before disapearing into the kitchen. Maybe my vision didn't mean anything.
