I looked at the Black child's face. As hard as I try, I couldn't see him in the way that Bella did. Harmless and human, a mere boy. She missed him, I know that she did. As much as I hate to admit it, it made me writhe with hate and jealousy for the werewolf. Sometimes for myself. It was my own fault that she was so close to the boy. If I hadn't left in the first place, she never would have turned to him.
"What are you talking about, dog." I snapped.
He took a gallant step forward and Sam placed a hand on his chest.
"Jake get a hold of yourself now." Commanded Sam sternly.
He stopped, but his frame quivered as he struggled to get himself under control. I growled under my breath between my clenched teeth. I stayed where I was, trying to keep my stance relaxed.
"There's been a breech of the treaty." Stated Sam.
Jacob snorted and crossed his arms. His eye resentful, boring into my frame.
"So it appears." I said calmly.
"Not by us, bloodsucker." Snapped Jake. The images in my mind would have disappointed Bella. Just one werewolf and a young one at that. So easily dealt with. The thought of ripping the black child to pieces brought too much pleasure to mind.
"As it seems, I am not the one crossing over boundaries." I snapped back.
I wasn't breathing, I wondered if they noticed. Their smell was awful, unexplainably bad. It was hot, almost; it burned the back of my mouth and made my throat scratch. It was stagnant, the smell of wet dog and rotting flesh.
"Then we have one thing in common." Said Sam.
I turned to him, perplexed.
"What are you talking about?" I asked.
"There was a murder last night. Three, to be exact." Jakes eyes flashed as Sam spoke.
Jacob Black was so ignorant. He had been in one fight with a vampire, with his entire pack. Alone, the child wouldn't last a chance. It almost wouldn't be worth it, he would be subdued before he could ever realize it. I would teach him what fear was. I could teach him how cruel vampires could really be.
"And how do you connect that to me?" I asked sharply.
"The bodies weren't recovered. Just trails of blood and missing persons reports. Sound familiar?" Hissed the black child.
The last time there had been disappearances, I wasn't here. The boy picked up on that quickly.
"Oh, that's right. You weren't here. I'm sure if we grabbed Bella she could explain it to you . . . Victoria, was the killer's name, was it not? Or maybe it was Laurent. She might remember that leech better; after all it did come closer to killing her then the female." His voice was almost as poisonous as the venom sitting in my mouth, counting my teeth sharper then a razors edge.
"Watch what you say dog." I snapped. I flicked my eyes to Sam.
"I do remember the murders when I was . . . unavailable . . . but why does that concern me? If the murders took place on your land…maybe you aren't such great 'protectors' after all." I said, shifting my eyes to Jacob for the end of the sentence. The shaking had returned in his frame. How easily I got under his skin.
"We have reason to believe it was a vampire." Said Sam calmly.
"Yes I've got that part please continue." I said quickly.
"Its not the redhead, two other from my pack have been tracking her for weeks, we would have picked up on her scent." Started Sam.
"It wasn't the black haired male. We took care of him much earlier on." Said Jacob, crossing his arms, almost in a manner that came off threateningly. I flicked my eyes over him and disregarded it. Foolish boy.
"The only other Vampires here are your coven. Please explain that." Said Sam. Taking a step closer.
"I have nothing to explain to you. We haven't broken any rules. We didn't cross over to Quilutte lands, I promise you that." I said. My eyes were hard.
I looked at Sam, listening into his thoughts.
"He has to be lying. It's not the red head, and there are not other vamps besides the Cullen's. What I don't understand is why they would go from feeding on animals to killing three humans. And young children at that. I always figured them to be more compassionate then that. If you could call a leech compassionate. But why now? And why on Quilutte territory?"
"Nobody from my Coven killed any humans. Especially not young children. We have stayed within our boundaries and have stayed within every right on that treaty. Answer your questions canine?" I directed the question at Sam.
For a moment he was confused, how I had known the details he hadn't yet said out loud. Then his expression went back to being calm. It always annoyed me how calm he was around my kind. He was our enemy. Then again, I imagine it was the same for him, rarely did I show I was uncomfortable around werewolves.
"I almost forgot about your extra . . . powers . . . I didn't believe it at first. How convenient that must be. To read minds." Said Sam.
"Considerably." I answered.
"You've broken one of the most important parts of the treaty. Breaking the lines between our lands was a start. But you or someone in the Cullen family had bitten three humans. And killed them. On our land." Jacob very nearly yelled.
"We did nothing of the sort. And maybe if you paid closer attention you would realize that. And maybe three citizens in La Push would still be breathing." I snapped.
"Jake calm down I mean it." Snapped Sam.
I crossed my arms over my chest.
"You filthy leech, if you're willing to bite one human what is going to stop you from biting another." Said the Black child sternly.
"You've forgotten the part on where we didn't do the crime in the first place." I said calmly.
Jacob broke passed Sam and came right in front of me. I had to tip my head slightly to look up at him.
" Look, bloodsucker, I know what's going on. I know what your intentions are for Bella. If you hurt her, or even think about turning her, I'll kill you myself." He hissed.
A growl built deep in my chest,
"You don't know any of my intentions with Bella. Stop pretending Jacob, stop searching for reasons to banish me and my family. Don't be so ridiculous." I said icily.
"The treaty is over, Cullen. Don't you get that yet? Your safety in Forks is gone. The murders are going to stop. Your whole revolting existence is going to stop." His voice was low.
I turned to Sam.
"What is he talking about, the treaty is over?" I shot.
"Its war, Cullen. You knew that if a human died at the fault of a Vampire, it was war." Said Sam.
"And what evidence do you have that pins the crime on me and my family?" I asked.
"We don't." Sighed Sam.
"Then you have no right to end that treaty, and therefore should not be on Cullen our territory." I said. My voice rose louder then I intended it.
"You are right about that, Cullen. We can't terminate the Treaty, by its own law. Not until we can prove that it was you. We've been able to live peacefully with one another under that treaty, and I'm not one that wants to end it. There wasn't so much as a scent left that traces it back to your family. But we have reasons for our suspicion. You're the only other vampires here." Said Sam. Trying to reason this out.
Snow was starting to fall around us. The words of the evening hadn't really hit home until now. If my family wasn't killing, which we weren't, people were still dying at the hands of a vampire. There wasn't a way around it. That was a problem. A big one.
"Then why did you come here, dog. To warn me? Of what, the supposed killers or yourselves? Because I assure you, my family has dealt with a vampire who couldn't keep his distance, dealing with a group of adolescent werewolves cant prove to be anymore difficult. " I questioned harshly.
"We didn't come to warn you, per say. But we needed to know if it was you or your family." Stated Sam. Pointing out what I already knew. I was growing tired of this, treading in circles over the same subject.
"No, it wasn't." I said through gritted teeth.
"Then if it wasn't you, and it wasn't the red headed blood sucker, then who was it?" Snapped the black child. Once again I turned to him.
"I'll speak to Carsile about it. Maybe he knows something." I narrowed my eyes.
"I would appreciate that. The thing is, its not just a single Vampire. Its not even two. If it were that simple, we wouldn't have automatically assumed it was you. But there were scents of at least four. Carsiles coven is one of the largest, so you see how our suspicions led to you. There is a vampire killing humans, Cullen. But I assure you. It's more then one. But I have to ask. Who?" Asked Sam.
There was only one coven larger then Carsiles. Only one other Coven that would smell a volatile werewolf and not even blink about killing on their obvious turf. And they weren't after killing humans. Well, not in the way that the Quileutte suspected. Oh, they were interested in the possibility of murdering a human. But not young kids. And not for blood. The sinking feeling in my stomach told me they were after someone much more important.
Hopefully that did my last Edward POV justice. Definitely not as much as a cliff hanger as the last, but still a little suspenseful. I know who you're thinking the killer is…but, who they really are MAY surprise you. Hopefully it will. Next chapter will be Bella's, and more eciting then this one. Promise, so bear with me, and the plot will get better. So will the chapters. Please Review, but nicely children! Thnx guys :