ENJOY!

I just stood there, motionless, not sure how to react, not sure what to say, afraid that I would scare her. She was sitting on the feet of a tree, leaning on her back against the trunk. She looked so small, so fragile as she wrapped her delicate arms around her knees. What have you done? I felt like screaming. Had I lost her? This would be our last time together? Did she finally understand what a heartless, soulless monster I was? I should have thought it. I should be happy about this… it meant that she would be safe, unharmed and live a long, normal life with someone else, someone that deserved her… someone that was human.

Questions haunted my mine and I wasn't sure if I should go to her, maybe her ignorance meant that she didn't want me… that she wanted me to go. This thought caused an unbearable pain on my chest, making my heart break. It made me gasp. I suddenly felt dizzy and all my body hurt from the attempt to keep my sobs in… Was this the end? As much I hope that the answer was no, I knew that it wasn't. "I'm sorry…" I whispered but even I couldn't hear my voice… I didn't bother to say it twice; I knew that an apology wasn't enough.

I sighed. Why did I have to hurt the one that I loved all the time?

I closed my eyes, trying to throw the pain away as I took a step back. I glanced at her for a long second, trying to memorize her beautiful figure… Even me, with my vampire-memory, couldn't remember her right… her beauty was too much for me to commit to memory. I tried hard though, knowing that from then on I would live with these images… Her full lips, her delicate amazing body, her flawless face… everything. I felt sober that her eyes were closed so that I couldn't look at this warm chocolate brown… "I love you…" I whispered before turning my back to leave. I know that it was a weak action, something that I shouldn't do. She needed me. She needed me to go there and comfort her… to go there and tell her that everything was alright… But I wouldn't leave her… I would just give her time while searching for Victoria.

Before I could take another step, I heard her angelic voice calling me. "Edward! Wait." It seemed like something had clicked in her, making her emotionless body alive. "Come here." I heard a tapping sound like she was patting the place next to her.

Listening to her voice… it made me want to run back to her and hold her in my arms.

I wanted so much to do it, but I knew that it would scare her. So I took big, slow steps towards her form. I looked in her eyes as I walked, measuring her reaction, seeing her feelings. How stupid was I? I almost made the same mistake. Forcing her to something that she didn't want, making a decision for both of us.

As I took big and slow steps towards her form, I looked in her eyes, measuring her reactions, gauzing her feelings.

I knelt next to her, to the place that she showed me before, watching her the whole time.

Some seconds passed in silence, as I kept looking in her depths. I waited for her to do the first move, not wanting to scare her.

Suddenly, she did something that I didn't expect. She threw her arms around my neck, burying her face in my shoulder. "You did it." She whispered.

I didn't pay attention to what she said. I was just trying to realize that she didn't want me to go. I wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her to me. "Bella… I was so worried about you!"

"I'm sorry." She mumbled in my shoulder. "I heard noise… I was afraid that it could be Victoria… so I came here. But it was just Emmett and Jasper." She sighed and then added with a happier tone: "I saw you kill him though."

I raised an eyebrow. Trust Bella for not being shocked about witnessing a murder. "You… are not scared… of me?"

"Scared?" she scoffed. "Why would I be scared?" she leaned back so she could look at me.

I narrowed my eyes, trying to understand what she was thinking… did she pretend? Trying to ease my guilt? "Bella… I just…" I fought to say the words. I took a deep breath. It's now or never. "I just dismembered and ripped apart a creature that was conscious… this doesn't bother you?"

"No…" She shook her head and then she rested it on my chest. "I was more afraid that you would get hurt."

Always Bella.

"I'm sorry…" I smiled grimly. "But I had to do it. He can't hurt you anymore."

I sighed in relief. And then something clicked in me. I killed Laurent… I killed Laurent. And most of all, I had learnt Victoria's plan. It was the perfect plan. She changed Riley and tried to convince him to follow her orders… But how? It was something that Laurent didn't know. However, I could understand, according to Alice's words, that he made decisions for her… That must be how Alice was 'blind'.

We couldn't just hunt Victoria, though. We needed a plan… a strong plan. I knew that Riley would be just the first… more would follow and maybe their numbers would increase rapidly!

So she would make an army. Her plan had holes though. If she did make an army, then the murders wouldn't stay secret. That would give us the opportunity to learn where this army would be created. Newborns were careless, so this meant that more murders would be committed, giving us more clues.

My inhuman mind started thinking ideas and forming a lot of plans. All of them having the same end. Victoria dead.

"Thanks to you." Bella's sweet voice broke me out of my reverie.

I shook my head to clear my mind and forced a smile. "Let's go back. Charlie will be home."

Bella nodded and we walked hand in hand –as always- towards her house. My brothers were nowhere to be seen, but I could hear their thoughts from Bella's room.

No clue that someone was murdered there appeared nowhere, but a faint smell that human nostrils couldn't smell, came from the forest. I made a mental note to thank my brothers for that later.

Throwing Bella on my back gently, I quickly climbed the wall. I knew that we could use the door but I always liked being myself with Bella, and besides Charlie was already at the door.

Now that I knew about Victoria's plan and I had already killed Laurent, I felt a bit relieved, although I knew that killing Laurent wasn't the end. But I just hoped that Victoria would make a small mistake and search for her 'friend'.

I took Bella's face in my hands, thinking of a quick plan. "Go down so Charlie can see you. We don't want him to come in your room. Can you pretend that everything is alright?" I looked into her yes, pleading, and to be honest I was concerned about her. I knew that Bella wasn't usually afraid about herself, but if she was in shock? She could collapse at any moment and she hadn't eaten anything…

I took a deep breath to stop myself from panicking. Instead I concentrated on Bella's face that was still in my hands.

She bit her lip and looked at me from her long eyelashes. I lost my breath for a moment, before I remembered that we had to act quickly. I knew that look. She meant fear and hesitation.

I half smiled. "I'm not going anywhere."

She smiled back and nodded, running down.

As long as she was out of sight, I allowed myself a moment to show my worry. I sat on the bed, needing support. I couldn't believe that I was living everything with James from the beginning.

I sighed, wishing that all my frustrations, fears and worries could be out of me with that gush of air that left my lungs. The sudden change in my mood made me dizzy once again. Was it just minutes before that my only problem was Newton?

My mind started fighting with my feelings as I tried to control my fears, making my whole body shake from the effort. I lowered my head in my hands, tugging on my hair as everything that had happened started sinking in, making me realize that Victoria would always wait for me to make a mistake, to leave Bella alone, as Laurent did. She was making an army of newborns! An army of newborns that was two times stronger that Emmett and craved for blood. Bella's blood.

"Jeez, man, will you stop worrying like that?" Jasper complained, breaking me out of my reverie. At the same time I felt a wave of calm covering my body and I did my best to ignore it. It wasn't time to calm! It was time to think!

"Firstly, stop using your gift. Secondly, why are you here?" I had started losing my temper, as I saw how calm they both were. It made me crazy, it made me think that I was overreacting and most of all it made me feel unable to control my emotions.

I felt the wave backing away, but remains of it were still tickling my skin. "Well… Alice has been having strange visions for days, without particularly seeing something. It made her worry. She insisted that we should come here. So, we came sooner than the others."

I nodded, unable to say something else as images of Bella in Victoria's bloody hands started filling my head. It made me want to scream and I closed my eyes, bringing my hands on my temples in an attempt to stop my torturing thoughts.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and I raised my head seeing Emmett above me. "Worrying won't help us kill Victoria! We need a plan." Emmett was never the 'sensitive one', the one that would give advice, making the others feel better. There wasn't a time that I remembered that he was serious. So imagine my surprise when he talked like that. And as much as I hated agreeing with Emmett, I knew that he was right.

I shook my head trying to make myself concentrate. "Y-You are right." I stammered, still being shocked from my previous thoughts. "First, we need a new window. Emmett."

"Aww! Just pull the curtain!"

"Emmett!" I groaned. It was one of the times that losing my patience was really, really easy. I knew that there was one person that could call me down. Where's Bella when you need her?

He rolled his eyes. "Okay."

In his mind he tried to measure the size of the glass, something that was easy since he was a vampire. As soon as he was ready, he jumped out of the broken window.

"When are the rest coming back?"

"They should be here by tomorrow." Jasper answered, sitting on the rocking chair. "Should I patrol the area?"

I thought of it for a while, wondering if Victoria would risk being in Forks. According to Laurent though, she didn't do anything. She just encouraged Riley, trying to convince him. "No." I shook my head. "She must be in Seattle."

"Seattle? What are you talking about?"

I repeated the whole story for his shake, hoping that he would help me somehow. That he would be able to think of a plan. A plan that would help us fool Victoria and ambush her.

"And the boy… Riley? Is he from Forks?"

"I don't know." I answered honestly. "But I want to ask a favor, if it isn't too much. I know that all of you risk your lives for stupid mistakes that I always make, and I am grateful that-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." He rolled his eyes. "Edward, we're family. Our family is a part of who we are. By helping you and Bella, we help ourselves."

I closed my eyes. I can't describe how terribly guilty I felt, putting all of them in danger. And especially, putting Bella in danger. I hated knowing that so many lives would be in danger because I was careless. "Thank you."

"Now, what do you want me to do?"

"I want you to learn everything about Riley Biers. Who he is, where he lives, what happened to him. Everything." I spoke through clenched teeth. I knew that giving orders was the weakest thing ever, but I couldn't leave Bella alone, even for a minute. If I found that Riley… I would rip him into pieces so painfully that his screams would be heard to the other side of the word.

"Whoa man! I can't stand so much hatred!" Jasper teased, standing up. At the same time I heard Bella's footsteps, signaling her approach. The door opened and Bella got in, sighing.

She closed the door behind her and managed a small smile when she saw me. This smile was enough to stop my worries for a while.

Her brown orbs shifted from me to Jasper and her smile widened. "Hey, Jasper. I am glad that you're here."

"Bella! Long time, no see." He smiled. Better keep my distance. "Well, not exactly a long time but… anyway."

Bella laughed nervously and I could tell that she was unsure if she should go closer to Jasper, afraid that she would make him thirsty.

"It's okay, Bella." Jasper said, feeling her hesitation. "I'm not breathing."

I smiled at his embarrassed tone as Bella walked closer, sitting next to me.

"Um… Bella, I would like to apologize for my behavior some days before… It was unacceptable. I'm sorry but I am weaker that I thought."

"It's okay Jasper. You're not to blame."

I let them in their small discussion, not wanting to interrupt. I knew that Jasper felt really bad for what he did, so I decided to give him some time to explain.

"I hope you forgive me some day. I don't want my weakness to affect your relationship with the rest of my family."

"Jasper, there's nothing to forgive."

"Thank you, Bella. I really appreciate it." He sighed. "Well, see you soon."

Jasper shot me a meaningful look and I nodded as he jumped out of the broken window.

"Where's he going?"

Bella looked at me with big, curious eyes and I felt bad once again that I exposed her to danger. I could see the fear in her eyes and knowing that I was the one that caused it, made a huge hole on my chest. I didn't want her to be afraid. She didn't deserve it. She deserved so much more than this life. Would it ever end? Would the danger ever come to a stop? Would I ever stop hurting her?

"Come here…" I mumbled, taking her in my arms so that she was sitting on my lap. I knew that I had to be strong, to show her that everything was alright. And I also knew that explaining everything about Victoria's plan to her would probably shock her. But it was about her life. I remembered Alice's words, she told me to be honest with Bella, to ask her before I did anything. And so I would. I would protect her. The right way.

She rested her head on my chest and I kissed her crown. "I heard Laurent's thoughts before I… killed him." I said softly, gauzing her reaction.

I didn't talk for some seconds. I waited for her reaction. She just looked at me with these curious eyes again and I couldn't help but wish that I could be in her mind, seeing what was going on in this 'mystical world'.

"And?" She broke the silence.

"He… told me everything about… Victoria's plan." I explained once again everything. Everything. I had promised that I wouldn't hide anything because I knew that if I was too… pushy, I would lose her.

I ran a hand through my messy hair, knowing that there was nothing I could do to prevent this. Nothing at all. Instinctively, I tightened my arms around Bella, knowing that it would be the only thing I could do to protect her.

The next two days passed, and I still hadn't got rid of my anxieties and worries. And honestly, how could I? Victoria, a sadistic vampire who craved the death of the most important thing in my life, a heartless monster that wanted to hurt the one that I loved, a soulless demon that wanted to steal the reason of my existence that took me decades to find, Victoria was threatening us.

The others had come back and that encouraged me just a bit. Carlisle had advised me, telling me that hatred and hasty decisions was something that would cause us more trouble. He believed that strategy would lead us to the 'happy end'. I decided to follow his advice, I trusted Carlisle. Whenever I decided to take matters on my own hands, it always ended in something tragic. And to imagine that I teased Bella for being the one that 'attracted' the trouble.

Jasper had done his research on Riley Biers these past two days, giving me more specific information about him.

Apparently, Riley was a boy from Forks that had just turned eighteen before Victoria changed him. He was missing for some months; his family was searching for him. So, Bella's father gave us some information, too, without him knowing. Bella was really good at prying.

Meanwhile, I never left Bella alone. There were not many moments that I was not with her, but when these moments came, it meant that it was something really important. Of course, nothing was more important than Bella, but sometimes I had to check some things myself. And when I had to leave, there were at least three vampires with her. At least.

So, I stretched my hand, taking the piece of a newspaper that was inside the folder that Jasper gave me. I had read everything that was in there, all of them concerning Riley. So, I took the passage of the newspaper once again. I had read it hundreds times, trying to find a clue that would lead us to Riley. I had learnt it by heart.

Seattle keeps being the centre of fear, since multiple murders haunt every single alley for months. The tragedy started since the disappearance of the 18-year-old Riley Biers, who has been missing for six whole months. The police believe that the boy must have been a victim of the circle of murders, although his corpse hasn't been found, yet.

Under the passage there was a picture of some people that were crowded around the place of a murder. I sat on my leather couch, running a hand through my hair. Could the clue be in the photo? I doubted it. However, I searched.

My eyes casted the figures, trying to find something that would help me. I had almost given up, but then my eyes landed on a person that was leaning against a tree, a mischievous smile on his face. I quickly pulled out of the folder the photo of Riley that Jasper gave me. My eyes widened.

Could it be?

The humans wouldn't understand that it was the same person, but my vampire eyes could.

Could it be?

Yes, yes it could.

I looked the caption of the photo, my hands trembling as I tried not to grip the paper with much force. Cinder Street, the place of Darren's Michaels murder.

"Carlisle!"

So, what do you think? I really enjoyed writing this chapter :D I also like the family moments, it's the first time that I wrote about Edward's relationship with his brothers, so I am sorry if it wasn't good.

I try to update as soon as possible and I am so glad that you guys like my story. Thank you for your support, and I have to say a really big thank you to the fans of Shining in the moonlight that follow me to Lunar Earthshine too! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! Let's all congratulate my Beta Reader, twilight642531, for helping me and let's all say a big thank you, because she's just awesome!

So, at the previous chapter, I had referred to Riley, as Riley Adams but:

(twilight642531's comment: Riley's last name is the one from the film Eclipse, so I put that in for Dora. Enjoy!) Thank you Rachel :D

I need you to review, though :/ I can't update when I don't have any feedback :D Review and Edward will save you from Laurent xD

Oh and I want to clear some things. I am sorry if some of you like Jacob, but Bella and Jacob will be just friends in this story. I mean that Jacob will be in love with her, but Bella wants just Edward (Hehe, I can't help it. I already do a big sacrifice, since I will write some things about Jacob in this story, I wish I didn't have to). So, what do you think? Should I add Jacob or not? Check out the poll on my profile.

Remember! Review and Edward will save you from Laurent.

~Dora~