Chapter 4: Mysteries

Bella was eating some of the food that Laurent had left for her while Edward had gone, looking where they would go next. She drew her knees up to her chest as she felt the eyes of her kidnappers on her back. She rubbed her arms, feeling a little chilled when Edward returned. "We're leaving now," he ordered. Bella gasped when she was suddenly yanked onto Edward's back, not getting a chance to pack any of her things.

"What's going on?" She asked.

"Don't worry about it," he answered.

He gripped her legs and took off into the forest with the rest of the coven behind him. Bella gripped his shirt, burying her head into the back of his shoulder. She had no idea why they were running away like this, but she almost didn't want to stand around and find out.

After awhile, Edward stopped again and let Bella go. She sat down on a log and looked around. "Where are we?" She asked.

"You ask that every time and I never answer do I?" He answered.

She rubbed her hands together, feeling a little cold. Edward took off the jacket he had on, putting it over her shoulders. She wrapped it around herself, still shaking a little. "We'll hide out here for a few days," he informed sitting down.

"Where's the rest?" She asked when she realized they were alone.

"Whenever we're nearly caught we all go our own directions for a few days before we catch up at the same area," he replied.

Bella sighed as she rubbed her hands together. "I'll get a fire started," he informed. Bella watched him disappear into the forest and stuck her hands in the pockets of the jacket when she felt something cool against fingers. She went to see what it was when Edward came back.

"Caught? You mean humans saw you?" She asked.

"They saw a bunch of people attacking someone, we had to leave before we were all caught. Trust me, humans finding us are the least of our worries," he answered as he built the fire.

"It's the Volturi," she murmured quietly.

Edward's head shot up. "You know about the Volturi?" He asked.

"I know a lot about vampires, I learned a lot during the last year I lived in Forks," she replied.

He started building the fire again. "That is dangerous for a human," he commented.

"I know it is," she agreed quietly.

"And yet you continued to spend your time with vampires?" he asked curiously.

"Vampires are the least of my worries," she replied.

She rubbed her hands together and sighed. "How long have you been a vampire?" She asked.

"Too long," he replied.

She warmed her hands by the fire once it was started. "And how are vampires the least of your worries? We're the most dangerous predators on this planet," he told her.

"When you have friends as vampires, somehow it dampens your fear about them," she answered.

Edward sat down on the ground, leaning against the tree. "You're not cold?" She asked.

"If you know so much about us, you sure ask a lot of questions about whether or not I'm cold," he answered, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

She bit her lower lip and wrapped her arms around herself. "How old are you?" He asked. Bella looked over at him surprised.

"Why?" She asked.

Edward shrugged a little. "I'm just trying to start a conversation," he answered. She let out a sigh and drew a knee up to her chest.

"I'm seventeen," she told him finally.

Edward was extremely quiet hearing her age, staring into the fire. "How old were you when you were turned?" She asked.

"Seventeen," he replied.

"Oh…what happened?" She asked.

He looked over at her. "I was turned, that's all you need to know," he told her. Bella looked back into the fire and grabbed a large stick, sticking into the fire. "Who are these friends that you keep talking about?" He asked.

"They're just friends," she replied.

"Fair enough," he murmured.

They sat in silence for what felt like hours. Bella looked over to see his eyes growing dark. "You haven't hunted…you should go," she told him. Edward looked at her.

"Don't try to run, I'll till be nearby to hear you," he told her.

He got up and disappeared into the trees. Bella bit her lower lip as she reached into the jacket and pulled out whatever her fingers were brushing up against. She pulled a long leather strap with a tie on it. She turned it around and her mouth dropped at what it was. It was a crest, a crest she knew all too well. She traced the lion, feeling the air get caught in her throat. "The Cullen crest," she though to herself. She heard footsteps coming her way and quickly stuck the wrist cuff back into the jacket. Edward returned, his eyes were bright red once again.

"You need to rest," he told her.

Bella bit her lower lip and she leaned back against the log, her eyes closing on their own, making her realize she was exhausted. She wrapped her arms around herself as she drifted off to sleep.

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Jacob was running with his pack when he heard footsteps behind them. "Wait!," he called stopping. He turned around and growled at who was standing there. He disappeared behind the bushes, turning back into his human form and pulled his pants on. "What are you doing here?" he asked frustrated.

"Calm down Jacob, we're helping you find Bella," Carlisle answered, his hands raised.

"We don't need your help," Jacob told him.

"You mutts have been chasing your tails for the last month," Rosalie answered.

"Rose," Emmett said quietly, grabbing his wife's arm.

Rosalie yanked her arm away. "Bella is our friend, we have the right to look for her too," Emmett told them.

"It's your kind that took her," Jacob said frustrated.

Paul growled at them, stepping a little closer when Jacob held his hand out. "We don't need your help," Jacob repeated.

"You do need our help. We know they were vampires that took Bella, but if there's anyone who can track a coven of vampires its Jasper," Carlisle explained.

Jasper nodded his head slowly. "You would track your own kind?" Jacob asked incredulously.

"Just because we're vampires doesn't mean we're all allies here," Emmett said frustrated.

Carlisle held his hand up to keep Emmett from jumping in front of them. "You have no idea where they went either," Jacob told them.

"We know a little more than you we don't stick our nose in the dirt all day to find what we need," Rosalie answered.

"Why don't you go fix your hair?" Jacob asked.

"Why don't you go back into the doghouse?" Rosalie answered.

"Keep talking Princess Leech maybe you'll say something intelligent," Jacob answered.

Emmett growled and lost control at that point lunging at Jacob when Paul jumped and tackled Emmett to the ground. "ENOUGH!" Carlisle shouted. He glared at Jacob. "Get him off now," he ordered. Jacob walked over and had Paul get off. Rosalie hurried over and helped Emmett off the ground. "Fighting each other won't find Bella," Carlisle said frustrated.

"Carlisle's right, we need to think of something here and figure out a plan, we don't know how bad these vampires can be," Jasper answered.

"Wouldn't you know Jasper? Weren't you one of the bad ones?" Paul asked as he stepped out wearing his jeans.

"Watch it mutt, you're walking a fine line," Emmett said angrily.

"Try me," Paul answered.

Jacob shot Paul a glare. "I agree with Carlisle, this won't find Bella. What do you have planned?" He asked, crossing his arms again.

"Alice envisioned right before we found you that they had gone East," Jasper informed.

"Where East?" Jacob asked.

"I only see pieces, not the whole thing," Alice replied.

Jacob sighed frustrated. "Calm down, we'll find her. Now if you listen to rest of the plan, we will find this location Alice had seen in her vision. Jasper is our best tracker, it depends how long they would be there," Carlisle explained.

"Why wouldn't they still be there?" Paul asked.

"Nomad covens don't stay in one place, they are constantly moving," Jasper replied.

"Is there a possibility that Bella's even alive? What if this hunt is just a waste of time?" Paul asked.

Jacob growled at Paul. "If Bella was dead Alice wouldn't have visions about her yet," Jasper replied simply. Alice nodded her head slowly.

"I can see why Carlisle's here, Jasper, Alice, and Emmett, but what about you two?" Jacob asked gesturing to Rosalie and Esme.

"The more of us there are the better. We don't want to kill them, just surround them," Carlisle answered.

"Are you kidding? They kidnapped someone are you really going to just let them live?!" Jacob exclaimed.

"I'm not one to kill another person," Carlisle answered.

"This is stupid Jacob let's keep going," Paul told him.

Jacob shook his head. "Carlisle's right, we need all the help we can get to finding Bella, we'll go by your plan," he informed. Carlisle nodded and held out his hand. Jacob looked at the coven leader's pale hand before shaking it. "Let's go," he told them. He and Paul disappeared behind the bushes again turning back into their wolf forms. The pack took off into the trees and the vampires were right behind them.